Seven
by Chousen
Summary: Grimmjow, an experienced agent from Seven is assigned to deceive & befriend Ichigo Kurosaki in order to procure information. How will his strategy of wooing the young man change things for him, Ichigo & those around them? Yaoi AU GrimIchi w/some NnoiShin
1. Patience

**Warnings:** The M rating is there because yes, there will be plenty of sex (eventually), and yes, all of it will be between dudes. Just so it's clear, I won't be putting in warnings by chapter, so this counts for the entire story.

Also look out for: foul language, violence, guns, blood, overabundance of gay men, light bondage, and some OOCness_._

Pairings include, but are not restricted to - Grimmjow&Ichigo as the focus, Nnoitra&Shinji and Shiro(saki)&Tensa(Zangetsu). Old man Zangetsu himself is also a character (as 'Zan'), and in this fic, he's with Kisuke (of all people) Oh yes, the crack is everywhere.

I don't own Bleach or any of the BAMF's, Bishies and OTP's included.

A big thanks goes to Mattberry for supporting me throughout the creation of this fic!

Also, I'd like to thank those that have faved, followed and reviewed my other fics. Your love and support is very much appreciated.

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><p><strong>Chapter One: Patience.<strong>

**OR**

**Five guys walk into a bar…  
><strong>

_"He's a stranger to some, and a vision to none."_

30 Seconds To Mars – From Yesterday.

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><p>Voices surrounded Grimmjow, mingling with the commotion of people shuffling in and out of booths and glasses clinking on tables. There was just enough lighting to allow comfort without leaving it too dark. Being an observer in the busy bar, he remained as people came and left; some familiar, most of them not.<p>

What most of the patrons shared was the craving for intoxication, an escape from stress, or even a quick route to a fleeting, carnal connection. Everybody had a reason, clear or not, and all left with the same troubles they arrived with, only warped by the fluids teeming in their systems. It was a life style, and to some a cure; temporary at best.

To Grimmjow, it was something else. As was required of him, he watched with calculating eyes. The sound in the bar was diminished by his thoughts and his gaze was trained on one specific person. Brilliant, sky blue bangs spilled over Grimmjow's furrowed brow, hardly masking a vivid, sapphire leer. The bridge of his nose crinkled slightly, lips downturned into a frown that clamped over the pale butt of an unlit cigarette. It didn't need to be live to have its effect; Grimmjow only required the distraction for his mouth while he worked.

Today would mark the beginning of his assignment to find out… well, he wasn't entirely sure yet. The assumed objective was to seek trust from the target and then obtain the information required of him by the organization for which he worked, Seven. All Grimmjow really knew about the job at this point was his target, Ichigo Kurosaki.

The kid wasn't anything special. He had an everlasting pout, enough stubbornness to challenge even the most foolhardy mule, and about as oblivious a personality as one can get. Also mentionable was Ichigo's full head of blazing tangerine colored hair that could be seen from across a stadium.

_Nope, nothing out of the ordinary there._

Ichigo was currently clad in a long sleeved, white button up shirt with a black vest over it and stoically endured the animated ranting from a redheaded man who sat at the bar counter in front of him. Grimmjow could hear the redhead jabbing on and on from his booth across the room, though he didn't bother paying any mind to the actual words. Behind the bar, Ichigo smiled to himself as he listened and polished a glass to set on a rack nearby.

By now, Grimmjow knew the routine by heart. Ichigo would serve drinks until an hour before the end of his shift, and then work on reducing the load of dirty glassware while awaiting a replacement. More often than not, Ichigo would be relieved by a man a few years younger than him. A friend, it seemed, with brown hair that didn't quite reach his shoulders and sad, blue eyes that could fluently sing with the despair of a caged bird. Grimmjow liked to call him Droopy. In his head, that is.

No, Grimmjow hadn't formally met the subject of his assignment just yet, so he didn't know Ichigo's friends either. First, he would examine Ichigo from a distance, or as far as the circumstances would allow, and catch whatever subtleties might give him an advantage for earning a quickly built friendship.

Admittedly, Grimmjow had an easier time with the female targets, what with all the swooning and beckoning they tended to do in his presence. Sometimes all it took was a well-placed compliment and the restraint of a saint to get them to gush. It helped that he was ridiculously handsome, too.

Men ...eh, they could be difficult. All had their vices, though, and Grimmjow was quick to figure them out. He found that most males just needed an outlet. Juice 'em up a little, toss some reassuring words out there and they opened up soon enough.

Due to his training and high self-standards, Grimmjow excelled in manipulation, could out talk any accomplished salesman and sell a glass of water to a drowning man should the time call for such a thing. It was his talent, his profession. For the past six years it was his life.

Beneath the act of a charming gentleman, Grimmjow was actually quite the opposite. He had a rough and untamed personality; a certain lesser seen side of off putting candor most would consider distasteful. But it was the truth of who he was when not putting on a show of refinement. Only those in Grimmjow's line of work as well as the few he trusted outside the operation were aware of this hidden aspect, a fact Grimmjow took much pride in. Always dashing, always acting; that was how he functioned. _It was what made him so fucking good at it._

A deep sigh ruffled the hanging line of bangs shading Grimmjow's eyes. His feet shuffled beneath the table; a habit he was well aware of, and not entirely comfortable with. Fidgeting showed anxiety, and while Grimmjow was excited, he hated to reveal that without meaning to.

It was best to know one's self before attempting to understand others, but Grimmjow had nearly perfected the knowledge of his own emotions and impulsive actions long before setting foot into this very bar. Nearly, you see, as there were still times when he surprised himself.

Music from the speakers played like a soft lullaby to the drunk, a drifting anthem to raise the spirits of those at their lowest of lows. Grimmjow ignored it like the rest; the sounds, sights, lights and conversations. Even at his table, four other men slew half joked insults back and forth, laughter spilling like wildfire over their faces, echoing through their bodies as tension eased and liquid inspired courage.

Patience wasn't among one of Grimmjow's strengths, somewhat of a tragedy in his line of work, but he made do. He could handle his comrades' excitement and could tune most of it out. All he could feel right then was thrill of closing in on a job and what he thought was the absolute best part of the entire process, which was the first meeting. Like the predator he was, Grimmjow would creep up on his unawares prey and catch them off guard, but not just yet. Ichigo had about another half an hour before being free for the evening. So Grimmjow would wait as he'd taught himself to do, until the opportune moment presented itself.

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><p>"So there I was with a breast pump in one hand and one of those baby bump pillows in the other – you know, to make a girl look like she's preggo to try on clothes and shit - and Rukia comes charging out of the dressing room like a bat out of fiery hell with that look on her face that I can't fucking stand," Renji looked grave for a moment and shivered. "You know the one I mean," The redhead dropped an elbow onto the counter, holding a hand next to his mouth while his eyebrows rose at Ichigo behind the bar.<p>

"You aren't going to _believe_ the shit she freaks out about now. It's_ so_ stupid," Renji raved. "I mean she stops everything she's doing just to come to me and rant about the most irrelevant things, as if complaining about it is going to make anything better," Renji rolled his eyes and dropped his hand back down.

"So she's got a hanger in her hand and she's eyeing me down like I ate the last of her specially ordered chocolates again. I felt like some kind of trapped dog on one of those animal rescue shows where the people are _supposed _to be saving the poor creature, but it looks more frightened than anything. And dude, you'll never guess what the problem was this time!" Renji licked his dry lips from all the chattering and lifted a mug to his mouth, drawing on it like the seasoned vet of stress drinking he is. After draining half of the golden beverage, Renji clanked the glass back down on the bar and took a deep breath.

Ichigo realized he was supposed to reply and blinked up from the few bottles he'd been reorganizing behind the bar. "I can't possibly imagine, Renji," he said dully, wondering if his friend would be even the slightest bit bothered by the unenthusiastic reply. As usual, Renji didn't notice.

"The pair of pants she was trying on ...didn't fit," Renji gave an incredulous look, mouth lingering over his drink again before taking another long suck from it. "I mean, we were at a fucking mall with probably three different maternity shops in it and about a billion different sizes of pants, and she's complaining because the first one she picks doesn't fit like it's the end of the world. _And then_ when I tell her it's not a big deal, her eyes get all huge and her little arms start shaking," he drained the rest of his beer and sighed. "Rukia cried. In the middle of the store. Face all red and everything. I didn't know what to do! I've never seen her like that before, Ichigo. You wouldn't believe it."

Ichigo just shook his head. Renji sure did know how to spin a tale. While he had high doubts that Rukia would ever cry, and in public for that matter, Ichigo trusted his longtime friend not to exaggerate quite so much as to completely make it all up. It wasn't impossible that Rukia would be hormonal enough to get emotional from time to time. She _was_ about seven months pregnant with a melon bulging from her teensy frame. Ichigo often wondered how she hadn't fallen over on her face from a misplaced breeze.

It was scary for Ichigo to think about two of his closest friends being parents. Hell, it was weird that they were married to begin with. Was he really that old, or were they just starting young? Was it normal to have already been a best man at 26?

Ichigo still remembered the day Renji had told him about Rukia's pregnancy. Even after all of the shit they'd been through as friends, the loads mischief they'd caused in school, Ichigo had never seen his friend look as pale or sick as on that day. Renji had surpassed all definitions of scared shitless and delved into an entirely new realm of complete and utter panic. He just about paced a three foot deep path through Ichigo's bedroom carpet as he thought over the fact that he was going to be a father, that he would have to actually have to raise a child, or so help them all, grow up a little bit. At the time, Ichigo doubted Renji had it in him to be mature enough to be a parent, but he'd been impressed when his friend stepped up to the plate and got himself a better job, one worthy of supporting a real family, and he and Rukia had found themselves a respectable home.

The whole thing made Ichigo wonder if he should be in a similar place in his life. As it was, he had no real ties to anything besides working at the bar, Benihime's for two of the three people he'd known longest in his life outside his family; Kisuke and Zan. Both men were close friends of Ichigo's father Isshin and had taken a particularly large part in helping the old goat raise Ichigo and his sisters after his mother had passed away.

Through Zan, Ichigo had met Tensa, one of his closest friends and somebody he would entrust his life to if the situation ever rose. Tensa, also a worker at Benihime's, was Zan's son and tended to be soft spoken- to say the least. With Ichigo, he was different, but not many were privileged enough to see that side of him.

Ichigo had never been one to worry about his future. Having been involved with Benihime's from the beginning of high school, along with all of the other things included in being a trusted confidant of the two elder bar owners, Ichigo had always assumed he'd follow in their tracks unless some other career caught his interests along the way.

Outside of work, Ichigo would mostly dabble in what he preferred to call his passion; the love of all things related to water and sports. Surfing, jet-ski, water-ski, skim boarding, sailing, diving, anything else you could imagine of the like, Ichigo had done it.

Because of his love for the ocean and the intense work out provided naturally by his athletic nature, Ichigo had become somewhat of a legend at any of the local beaches, and had even been offered random deals for this or that gig. Modeling, being the most common of the opportunities he was presented with. Ichigo turned most of them down, being modest and wholly uninterested in the idea of primping or posing all day, but had been known to except a quick deal or two if he needed some extra cash to fund a newly found hobby or pastime.

It wasn't as if Ichigo was ever truly short for money, being that his father was wealthy enough to own half the town - in fact, he owned every hospital in the county - but Ichigo refused accepting any of it under the strict promise that he would only take what he needed for emergencies or further education should he choose to return to college for another major. Medical school hadn't exactly turned out to be his calling, and Ichigo's father had been supportive of his choice to follow his heart. It probably helped that where Ichigo's heart took him was with others so close to the family.

If he broke it down to the barest of facts, Ichigo was content with his laid back life style. There may have been more to it than serving drinks and catching waves, but he tried not to stress about things he had little control over. What was the use in that anyway?

Ichigo could only imagine the kind of chaos that was about to be born into his friends life. It was sure to be a lethal combination; the DNA of both Renji and Rukia joining as one, or possibly, more than one. Ichigo had to breathe a sigh of relief knowing that he wouldn't have to worry over that sort of thing for a long, long time, if ever. He was all for kids, totally on that bandwagon if ever there was one, but didn't exactly see himself running off and impregnating a woman anytime soon, and adopting was a huge decision to make. Having kids just wasn't something he would do with someone he hadn't known and been with for a very long time.

Ichigo had plenty of friends in his life, enough to keep him happy, but he wasn't entirely sure he'd ever find the right guy worth settling down with. Not that he considered that an issue at the moment. He had offers, options, and all the time in the world, as far as he was concerned. No need to rush the inevitable.

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><p>Grimmjow breathed a sigh of relief when the redheaded friend of Ichigo's made his exit from the bar. Nearly an hour passed as he sat there between his friends, pretending to drink while barely whispering a word in response to the borderline gossip going on around him. Two girls had managed to sneak their way into the booth, long arms wrapping around this or that body on either side of him, all the while Grimmjow's mind counted away the minutes and seconds left until he could finally make his move.<p>

His pointer and middle fingers traced languid lines over circular pools of condensation left from random glasses on the table. Giggles and chuckles spread out around him, and then his attention was sharply caught when a slender finger hooked into one of his belt loops and a plump-lipped, strawberry blonde purred near the back of his ear. Summoning what little restraint he had the patience for, Grimmjow wrapped an arm around the woman and by her shoulder, gently pulled her away. "Not interested, sweetheart," he said with a frustrated sigh, and then returned his attention to the bartender across the room, not at all concerned by the clarity of his intensions.

"Oh!" the woman exclaimed, following Grimmjow's gaze and looking unbothered by his rejection. "So you play for the other side, hmm?"

_She assumed wrong._

The woman slumped over the table, resting her dainty chin upon an equally elegant hand. Her chest nearly spilled over the top of her shirt while it came to press against the table in front of her. All eyes around the booth darted in her direction when she let out a drawn out, dreamy sigh.

"He is pretty cute," the strange woman admitted, eyes locking on Ichigo as the tangerine –what Grimmjow had taken to calling Ichigo within his mind- set a round of shots in front of a group of football jersey clad men a few tables down. A round of cheers filled the room before there was a short silence and then the smacking of shot glasses hitting the table.

"But even_ I've_ had no luck with him," she informed haughtily. "I've tried, believe me."

Grimmjow had no doubt that she had, but really didn't care. It was obvious enough why she had no success, though it seemed the woman hadn't caught on to the fact just yet.

"That's 'cause that berry's as gay as it gets," Nnoitra slurred from the other side of the blonde woman. He curled a thin, right arm around her waist to bring her close. "Ain't that right, Grim?"

_Leave it to Nnoitra to clear things up._

Grimmjow gave a noncommittal grunt, lost again in his uninterested daze. He had to wonder how his friends weren't sick of the tired old routine of drinking and fooling with random women –or men, depending on who you asked- though it was probably the reason that all of them (save one) were lower ranked than Grimmjow himself in Seven, with what seemed to be little hope of any change.

To Grimmjow's right, his buddy Starrk was leaning back, eyes closed and arms draped over the booth on either side of him. Beneath Starrk's left arm was a raven-haired, flat chested bimbo that seemed not to mind that Starrk was half asleep. He sat back and let her hands wander across his white, fitted jeans and fur-lined belt without a word of complaint. Twin holsters hung at either of his hips, hardly concealed by a long hanging, fluffy, gray coat. Highly expensive and effective pistols filled either side-arm carrier and a peaceful smile adorned his face. Life was as good as it was going to get for the mid-thirties man, as he had the top position in what he felt was the best fit job for his talents.

Grimmjow was hardly foolish enough to believe that Starrk was less than aware of what went on around him, even as he appeared to be sleeping. In the blink of an eye, the sharpshooter could whip out his weapons, drop every one of the individuals at the bar, and then holster them with lids still half shut. He may be lazy, unmotivated and melancholic, but Starrk was quick when he needed to be. If not for Grimmjow's complete indifference about position among the others that made up his team, he might have long passed the gun-clad Coyote in ranking, but couldn't care so long as the brunet was on his side. That, and as long as Starrk kept those flea-ridden mongrels he liked to call pets far the hell away from him.

Beneath Starrk's right arm sat the brightly smiling and bubbly Szayel; their sixth member in ranking and by far, the most _fab-u-lous_. Seriously, the guy could out-pink a fucking Barbie and start a new trend with the flip of his hair. Grimmjow could never figure out what qualified Szayel to be an operative on the field, but he assumed it had something to do with his...unconventional talents. There was also the observation that Szayel was deceivingly intelligent and universally gifted with all things scientific or mathematical by nature. Who knew what that meant when paired with an arguably androgynous agent, hired for drawing secrets out of even the tightest lipped of individuals. The guy may appear harmless, but really he was sharper than any of them with matters of the mind.

To Grimmjow's left, beyond the cooing blonde and lanky giant that was Nnoitra, sat the ever silent, vigilantly watching Ulquiorra. The raven haired male stuck out like a stick in the mud amidst the others whom at least looked to be enjoying themselves, even when compared to Grimmjow. Having somewhat of a _hate-it-when-you-even-talk_ sort of relationship with Ulquiorra, Grimmjow considered himself lucky to be seated between even the dimmest of witted females in the building rather than by him. At least the strange girls wouldn't occasionally turn toward him and give the sourest of looks while uttering 'trash' beneath their breath, as Ulquiorra was known to do. Even after years in Seven, Grimmjow still knew little about the guy and didn't have any plans to change that as he quite honestly didn't give a shit.

The five men at the table (Starrk, Szayel, Grimmjow, Nnoitra and Ulquiorra) made up the majority of Seven. A motley crew, to be sure, but even with all of their differences and disagreements, they were the best in their field, and a deadly force not meant to be underestimated. Grimmjow didn't normally count fear among his emotions, but if he ever had, he wouldn't have considered it worthwhile when surrounded by such individuals as those he was in league with; even if only two of them held any sort of item that could be technically considered a weapon at the moment.

The time was closing in; only minutes left until Ichigo's friend Droopy made his appearance and sent the tangerine off into the darkened streets to return home. Grimmjow could tell that Ichigo and the young brunet had a tight relationship, something he'd based on the observations he made over the last few weeks. It was something unspoken, not proven by words or a constant connection to each other but by distant looks, exchanged courtesies and the comfortableness they had with one another. Grimmjow had picked up on a lot of little things like that, even as he maintained a safe distance from the young bartender.

For example, Grimmjow was positive that Ichigo lived alone and could tell that he denied his inheritance, something simple enough to find out when Ichigo's father was so widely known in the area. He could also see that Ichigo struggled with something heavy. Perhaps the loss of his mother or possibly something related to what Grimmjow was assigned to uncover. Outwardly, Ichigo appeared calm, but sometimes Grimmjow would catch his wayward eyes, the drifting of his mind toward the welcoming embrace of daydreams. Ichigo did a lot of thinking, stressing inside his head. His brows would pull together when something was particularly frustrating him, but it was a hard thing to catch when the same expression was just about plastered on the tangerine's face.

"Isn't it about time, Grimmjow?" Ulquiorra asked, emerald eyes dipping toward the cancer stick pressed between Grimmjow's lips. Ulquiorra would never understand why the man insisted on sucking on the things when there were so many more favorable alternatives.

It was half past midnight and before Grimmjow could conjure up a response, his words were cut short by the awful sound of cheap, jingling bells from the front entrance of the bar. The tacky things brought the attention of half the room to the door and in walked the downcast brunet, Droopy.

Everyone at Grimmjow's booth watched as Droopy paced between the tables toward the bar and unzipped the front of his hoodie to reveal his uniform for bartending. Not unlike some kind of lame superhero with the worst possible powers in the world. Or the best, if you happened to be a patron at the bar.

Droopy's solemn face lit up when he caught sight of Ichigo. The two exchanged smiles as Ichigo peeled away his overly tight vest and then smacked a strong hand on his friends back.

"Thanks a load, Tensa," Ichigo said, shoulders already sagging in relief from the knowledge that he was done for the night. He disappeared behind the bar, gathering up his belongings as he did every evening, and Grimmjow took his cue to find an escape from the booth he was confined in.

"Looks like an easy job," Nnoitra pointed out while scooting out of the way to allow Grimmjow to stand. He stopped the blue-eyed man with a hand on his chest and met his gaze, showing that he had no intention of moving without sharing his thoughts.

Grimmjow's upper lip curled, eyes narrowing. "So? Don't they all seem easy at the start?"

"Keh, I guess so. Point is, I think you should make it a sweeter deal."

Behind them, Starrk and the two women remained to the booth, but Ulquiorra and Szayel came up to listen in on the conversation. Grimmjow sighed, realizing that if he wanted to get away quick enough to make his first introduction to Ichigo smooth, he was going to have to listen to what Nnoitra was proposing.

"I say you make the berry think you want him. Like, _really_ want him," Nnoitra's smile grew to unnatural proportions while Grimmjow considered and then trashed the idea in an instant.

"That's the stupidest shit I've ever heard," Grimmjow spat out, turning to leave, but Nnoitra's hand only tightened on his jacket, bringing him back around to meet his unwavering grin.

"You don't think he'll warm up faster if he thinks you want to get in his pants?" Nnoitra's grip loosened, likely because he saw that a seed of his idea was planted in Grimmjow's mind. The taller man knew Grimmjow to be smart, one of the best perhaps, but the blunet tended to look beyond the simpler solutions, always orchestrating some grand scheme so that things would go down exactly according to plan. If they didn't, Grimmjow would have a backup lying in wait to fix it all.

Despite his confidence, Grimmjow absolutely hated when things went wrong and would become one of the biggest bitches on the planet if everything didn't work out in the end. It was one of the few weaknesses he had.

"How do you guys even know he's gay?" Starrk asked from behind the four, and all of them turned, Grimmjow taking the moment of distraction to brush Nnoitra's hand away from him.

"Welcome to the conversation, dumbass!" Nnoitra barked out a laugh at his friend's lack of attention. The group wasn't all too surprised, and it was always amusing for them to see such trivial things pass a mile above the Starrk's head. At least until they had to explain something for the fourth or fifth time because the brunet had dozed off in the middle of the...speaking of which, he looked to have done so just now.

The girls at the table giggled, drawing closer to the slumbering male and showering him with kisses and unheard whispers. Really, it was ridiculous how the sleeping bastard got all of the attention.

"So what do you think?" Nnoitra questioned, turning his back to Grimmjow just long enough to snatch a drink from the table.

Grimmjow shrugged. His eyes may have been set on the door, ready to bolt out there and catch Ichigo if needed, but inside his mind, Nnoitra's idea was still spinning around. Grimmjow's friends were well aware that he wasn't gay, as was he. Or at least, he didn't think he was. It wasn't ever something he considered important, regardless of others claims that it really was. If he turned out to like dudes, then so be it. It wasn't as if he could do anything about it, and it wasn't like Grimmjow hadn't ever used his looks to his advantage when he felt it might work on a male target. But it hardly ever had to go that far, providing him little opportunity to explore such a thing.

Shaking his head to the absurdity of the whole idea, Grimmjow unwillingly came to the realization that it might actually work. Ichigo was lonely, without any romantic connections, and as far as he knew, the tangerine wasn't involved in any sort of outlet for sexual needs. At the very least, Grimmjow might be able to use his charm to get the guy to open up, but it would be in a field of play he had very little experience in. Stepping outside his box, challenging himself was one of Grimmjow's favorite pastimes, but was this really something that could work, that he could pull off?

After rolling his shoulders back and letting loose a deep exhale, Grimmjow gave Nnoitra's shoulder an unnecessary shove and then headed away with a mumble of 'Idiot'. He pushed through the jingling door and took a spot outside on the curb, attempting to keep his jaw from clenching so tightly.

Grimmjow rolled up his sleeves to the elbow and fished a lighter out of his pocket to bring the poor, abused cigarette in his mouth its well-deserved death. Just as he took the first pull, eyes closed as his whole body eased to the sublime sensation of nicotine coursing through his body, the obnoxious bells jangled again, and out walked the very same person he expected. Ichigo Kurosaki, with an over the shoulder bag and a laziness in his step that Grimmjow had long since recognized as defeat rather than fatigue.

Just like every night before, Ichigo came to the curb and paused, unaware of anything around him, only dropping his head back to stare wondrously at the sky. Sometimes he would be searching for something, other times just listlessly staring, as if waiting.

Grimmjow glanced over at Ichigo, dropping his hand to the side while a curved stream of smoke jetted from the fag between his fingers and wafted through the air toward the tangerine. Ichigo half glanced back at him and then returned his gaze to the sky, fighting the urge to crinkle his nose to the foul smell. Ichigo's father would smoke at times, but rarely, and he always hated it when he did.

"Slow night," Grimmjow said, one hand tugging at the partially opened front of his jacket and dress shirt. He rocked forward and back on his feet, toes hanging over the curb while he swayed.

Ichigo searched for stars in the sky, eyes squinting but finding nothing more than a vast, sheet of black beneath the fog and lights of the town around him. He hadn't even realized that it had become habit to do this before going home from work, that he would spend a few moments each day to scour the skies above for something like that of his old home.

When Ichigo was younger, he had lived with his family in a much more rural area. Open land that stretched beyond the eyes reach and slews of fields with either crops or cows in them. But now, with his beautiful mother passed away and his father having fully taken over an old family business of managing medical establishments back in town, Ichigo had been ripped away from his country life.

Even though he did miss the comfort of home, Ichigo was grateful for the change in some aspects. There sure as hell weren't any large bodies of water where he used to live, or an endless supply of things to do within. Part of the reason he had become obsessed with the beautiful sea to begin with had to do with his mother saying to him once that she was an artist in her younger years, and of all her subjects, the ocean was her favorite to portray.

Ichigo enjoyed the freedom his job allowed. For what seemed like an ever changing variety of times and hours, he made his living at the bar. Kisuke, the kooky bar owner with a clingy black cat on his shoulder would come in from time to time, but mostly ran things from down below, in the underground basement of the bar. Most buildings in the older parts of town had them, a perfect addition for bars like Benihime's, but Kisuke and Zan had seen fit to find a much more recreational use of the space than just storage for alcohol. Being as the bar itself was rather large, the underground space was just as great, so Kisuke had at least two rooms that Ichigo knew of, along with who knew how many other hidden compartments, storage areas that connected to them, or unknown passage ways. One time, Ichigo had almost gotten lost in a hallway he didn't recognize and promised himself not to wander too far down there again.

Allowing a momentary smirk, Ichigo thought of the whole new world of things he had stepped into upon taking a spot at what he thought would be merely a hand for serving drinks or cleaning tables. He loved the connections he would make with people he met or chatted with over the bar, seeing strangers interact with each other and overall just spending time away from the solitude of his home.

Upon realizing somebody was talking to him, Ichigo finally responded to the stranger after clearing his head. "Yeah, it's usually dead mid-week. The crowd is thickest from Friday through the weekend until Monday, then it dies out again, but we make do."

Grimmjow nodded, giving off the impression that he hadn't already known what Ichigo said. In truth, Grimmjow had planned on it being less crowded tonight, knowing that his best chance for an improv introduction would be during the middle of the week when Ichigo was less likely to have to change shifts or work late.

Grimmjow switched the cigarette between hands after noticing the way Ichigo leaned away. Flicking the ash from the end and pulling it up to take a final drag, Grimmjow inhaled for a long moment, then let the butt fall to the ground where he extinguished it with the toe of his shoe. "See you around," he said with a curt nod, catching Ichigo's momentarily widened eyes before they softened, and Ichigo nodded back, hands nervously shifting into his pockets.

Grimmjow paced down the street, following the sidewalk for two blocks before hanging a left and coming upon the paid parking lot where he'd left his car. He spotted a gas station across the street and headed there first, wanting to wash the stink of smoke from his hands before getting it all over the wheel of his car. He hardly ever indulged in the real purpose of cigarettes, but figured that holding it there, unlit in his mouth while standing next to Ichigo might prove to be a distraction from the simplicity of the short lived conversation he'd planned for them to have.

Their meeting may have amounted to less than an entire minute of time, but Grimmjow had accomplished what he'd meant to and learned more than he expected. Such as the fact that Ichigo disliked smoke. Most people did, but it seemed to have a specifically negative effect on the tangerine. Note made, don't smoke around him anymore. Also, he made Ichigo nervous. Why, Grimmjow wasn't certain yet, but it wouldn't take long to figure out if it was intimidation or attraction. That, though, would be left for their next meeting, and that time Ichigo would recognize him, which was exactly what Grimmjow wanted.

Pushing his way into the men's room at the gas station, Grimmjow flipped open his phone, sending a call before cradling the device between his ear and shoulder, hands turning on the faucet to soap and rinse.

"Moshi Moshi!" came the immediate response.

Grimmjow rolled his eyes and flicked his hands inside the sink before reaching out to yank a paper towel from the dispenser. "Can you let Sosuke know I've started, so he can put me on the clock for the job?"

"Sure can!" the voice on the line said. "Not sure that I get why it matters though, since you're bein' paid by assignment instead'a by hour."

Grimmjow took hold of his phone again and this time elbowed his way through the door, not wanting to touch the public surface after washing his hands. "It matters," he muttered, then clapped his phone shut and pocketed it, heading out of the gas station and across the street to his car. He poured himself into the seat of his treasured, black Maserati and let the engine sit idle for a moment while closing his eyes and thinking over the night. His clean hands gripped the cool, smooth wheel, fingers curling tighter around it the longer he thought.

Nnoitra had been right about what he should do but that didn't mean he was about to like the stupid plan. Grimmjow had his own damn way of doing things and had been carefully constructing each of his moves, laying them out in an intricate order, ready to be executed and perfectly played. Now he was considering trashing the whole thing just to wing it. Would giving Ichigo the idea that he was interested really prove to be a better route?

Probably.

"Fuck!"

Grimmjow turned on some music and threw his car in reverse. It was going to take some more time to come to a decision about what to do and he had a few days before he planned to go back to the bar, but Grimmjow had a feeling he wasn't going to be getting any sleep until his mind was made up.

* * *

><p>Ichigo had not expected the result of his encounter earlier that night. Was it silly that he had been gazing up at the sky for stars all that time when someone like that gorgeous man had been standing right next to him? It may have been strange to think of it that way, but Ichigo still couldn't suppress the shivers as he sat on the edge of his bed, unbuttoning the front of his work shirt.<p>

It'd been a long time since a guy really got his attention and that man had done it with a total of five words, though it wasn't exactly the words themselves that had Ichigo's mind running on a nonstop loop of naughty thoughts. It occurred to him that the man must have, at some point, been in the very same bar he had been working at for near to six hours and he hadn't ended up noticing him at all. If Ichigo had, he would have remembered it, and it bothered him that he'd missed such a fine specimen of eye candy while it was being so pleasantly displayed in front of him.

Admittedly, Ichigo was distracted that evening. Even before Renji had come gallivanting into the bar with a gut full of word vomit, Ichigo's mind was out and about, eyes as vacant and distant as his thoughts. His distraction for the evening had something to do with the stuck up, four eyed jerk he'd met a couple years ago in medical school.

This guy, Uryu Ishida, had a degree now and that little fact had somehow managed to wedge the ever present stick just a couple more inches right up his tight ass. When Ichigo decided to pass on the whole genre of medicine all together, he was far beyond glad of the fact that he'd never have to deal with Uryu again. But he wasn't so soon rid of the guy.

Ichigo liked to think he could get along with anyone. Until he met Uryu, that is. It was like the guy instantly ruled out any slight chance of kindness when faced with a situation in which he had to speak or interact with Ichigo at all. As far as Ichigo could tell, Uryu was polite to just about everyone else save him, and he couldn't fathom any reasoning for why that was so.

Ichigo slumped across his room to toss his dirty shirt in the hamper then worked on the thin, leather belt about his pants while his mind wandered back to the day before yesterday. A friend of his, Shinji had insisted on Ichigo teaching him how to surf, so they'd taken the weekend to give it a try. It only took about five whole minutes for Ichigo to realize that Shinji was in it for the looks and attention more than the actual sport. Still, Ichigo tried to be the good friend and help the blond out. That was until Uryu came stomping up the beach, folded beach chair in hand and his nose so far in the air, Ichigo wondered how the guy didn't trip over himself and land face first in the sand.

_"What are you doing here?" Uryu demanded, back straightened and shoulders squared._

_Shinji waded out of the water behind Ichigo and put a hand on his chest, heaving dramatically until he spotted the angry, four-eyed monster near his friend._

_"Who's this douche?" Shinji asked loudly, even while putting a hand to Ichigo's ear and pretending to whisper._

_Uryu's left eyebrow shot up and his whole body stiffened with building rage. He brought a hand to the bridge of his nose, pinching it while closing his eyes. "Don't you have something more productive to do than fooling around at a beach, Ichigo? Or are your career choices so few that you really do have nothing else to do?"_

_Ichigo shrugged. He shook Shinji's grabbing hands away from his arm and stepped closer to the bespectacled raven, noticing for the first time that an orange haired woman stood just behind him. "Who's this? Oh, is that-" Ichigo snorted, then teetered into a fit of chuckles. "Are you on a date?"_

_With his whole face burning red and hand tightening around the wooden chair in his grip, Uryu sighed from his nose and stabbed a finger in Ichigo's direction. "Not that it's any of your business, but yes. I am. Is that so hard to believe?"_

_"Yep," Shinji chimed._

_Ichigo directed a glare at his friend. "Tactful today, aren't you?" he whispered, then turned back to Uryu and the young lady accompanying him. At first, Ichigo had figured the woman was shy about being on a date, but rather than looking anxious toward Uryu, she seemed to be hiding behind him._

_"Excuse me Miss, what is your name?" Ichigo held out a hand, reaching around Uryu._

_The woman stumbled over the first syllables of her name before finally coming out with "Inoue". Her chocolaty eyes widened when Ichigo took her soft hand and shook it carefully._

_"Pleased to meet you, Inoue," he said with a smile and the woman lit up like a Christmas tree, even taking a step back behind Uryu again to hide her embarrassment._

_Shinji chuckled off to the side and Ichigo shook his head, returning his attention to his old classmate. "Have a nice date, Uryu." Ichigo said politely, then grabbed Shinji's arm and dragged him back out into the water where he could still hear Uryu's deep sigh from behind him._

_What on earth had that been about?_

Only Shinji seemed to know and later mentioned that Uryu's annoyance and Inoue's shyness had to do with the fact that Ichigo always seemed to steal the attention of anyone Uryu liked. Ichigo still didn't believe it, even with as clear as the facts were in front of him.

Back in his room, Ichigo's pants dropped to his feet and he kicked the loose clothing up and into the basket, following it with his socks and then underwear.

Shinji, being the pale and stubborn guy that he is, had ended up getting a major sun burn during the so-called lessons Ichigo was giving him and wouldn't let Ichigo forget it for a single minute. Even when Ichigo had been the one to insist on Shinji using sun block before they went out, Shinji had refused, claiming that he needed the tan and would be fine. The burn that his stubborness resulted in had Ichigo making a quick run earlier that day to the pharmacy to pick some aloe up for the poor baby, and drove out of his way to take it to the blond. As annoying as the task had been, it had at least made Shinji stop pestering him via text about the pain.

Ichigo shuffled toward his dresser, raking a hand through his hair. He pulled out a loose tee shirt and boxer shorts to sleep in, donned them, then collapsed on his bed, eyes shutting and immediately finding the image of the blue-haired stranger from outside the bar waiting for him there. What was that man's name? Was he going to come back? Ichigo knew the possibility was slim. People would stop by the bar every day that he never saw again. He wondered why it wasn't until the man left that he finally looked over and noticed how attractive he was.

Ichigo rolled on his side and adjusted his feet so they slipped out of the covers into the cool air of his room. It only took a couple of minutes for him to drift off to sleep, thoughts on the blue mystery man, determined not to forget.

* * *

><p>It was quarter to midnight on a Monday and Benihime's was full; not quite packed, but lively enough to require just a couple extra staff on duty. Shunsui sat with his old styled sake cup and a bottle at hand to refill. He twisted a worn toothpick between two fingers and exhaled tellingly while peering across the table at his snowy haired partner.<p>

Jushiro held a hand to his stomach and wore a pink tinge across his otherwise pale cheeks.

"I told you that you didn't have to drink to sit with me, Juu," Shunsui chided, smiling while tucking a loose, almond lock of hair behind one ear.

Jushiro waved the man off and pushed his emptied sake cup further from him on the table. "One is hardly enough to cause any harm, but sufficient to put me at ease."

"Fair enough," the brunet conceded, lifting his gaze past his partner to spy on a group of three men who sat two booths away. "They've got a look I don't like," he mused.

"Then tell Kisuke. I'm sure he can have them easily removed."

Shunsui hummed and shook his head. "I'm not that worried, only thinking out loud," He lifted the cup to his lips again and let it linger, breathing in softly while pondering. "That blue one is familiar."

Jushiro turned his head just enough to spot the small group of the men across the room. Sure enough, one of the three had sky blue hair and a determined look in his eye as he stared toward the bar. "Well it certainly isn't a common color. I can't imagine you'd mistake something like that."

"Mah, Juu, what's that supposed to mean?" Shunsui whined, stretching one of his legs beneath the table so that his sandaled foot brushed against Jushiro's.

Jushiro blushed and looked away. "It means you're intoxicated and likely imagining things," He rubbed his foot back against Shunsui's all the same, having little ability to resist the handsome brunet.

Shunsui smiled smugly and suddenly rose out of the booth, grabbing the bottle of sake, capping it and then leaving a bill on the table. "I say we do some of our own imagining for the rest of the night. How about that?" He held a hand out to his lover and smiled inescapably.

Jushiro knew he was done for before the man even spoke.

* * *

><p>Tensa unbuckled his seatbelt and frowned through the window. Water was pouring from the sky in bullets, careening down to splash against all parts of his car with loud smacks that made his eyes twitch.<p>

He absolutely despised the rain. It was dreary, wet, and cold. Some would say it was beautiful, even emotional, but the only thing Tensa ever felt when it rained was depression. At times, he would get these images of the water endlessly pouring from the clouds until the whole city was lost in its dark embrace.

Tensa breathed unsteadily in, preparing himself for the run he would have to make toward the door. This part was the worst; anticipation, pushing past the nerves to get out there and move. He jerked his hoodie up over his head, pulling the drawstrings tight to cover all of his hair and the majority of his face. Then with another deep breath, Tensa opened his car door, hopped out into the deep puddle formed next to his car and slammed the door shut before tearing across the parking lot toward Benihime's side entrance.

Fumbling the keys from his pocket and hitting the alarm and lock button for his car, Tensa blinked through the raindrops collecting on his face, shook his head and stared down at his hand where he sifted through his key ring to find the right one. Coming to the brown, metal door before he found it, Tensa hopped from foot to foot, cursing under his breath until he finally found the key and jammed it into the door, throwing it open when the locking mechanism clicked. Had he been thinking clearly, he might have just gone in through the front door.

Thunder clapped when he shut the door behind him, then the sounds from outside melted away, muted against the cheerful music inside the bar while goose bumps from the air conditioner rose over his arms and legs. Ichigo came over immediately and greeted Tensa with a warm smile that reached his eyes. It was just enough to make Tensa's anxious heartbeat slow to a much calmer rate. Ichigo always did have that effect on him.

"Hey," Tensa said softly, shaking his head while pulling the hood away from his hair.

Ichigo lips turned down at the drenched mess Tensa was. "It must be pouring out there. C'mon, let's get you changed. I think there's a spare uniform somewhere down stairs," Ichigo helped pull Tensa's clinging sweater away and wandered off to hang it on one of the unused coat racks near the front door. Coming back, he hooked an arm in Tensa's and escorted his younger friend through the busy bar toward the lift that went down to the underground area, part of which was used for staff.

Tensa slipped his arm out of Ichigo's when the doors slid open and he smiled reassuringly. "I'll be fine. I'll see you in a few."

Ichigo nodded at his friend and turned, wiping his hands on the front of his pants while returning to the counter. A few people had crowded around, looking lost with nobody to serve them and Ichigo sighed, glancing down at his watch and wondering where exactly the crazy bar owner was. Kisuke knew this was one of the potentially busy nights but he was tardy as usual, probably off somewhere buying a new fancy collar for his pampered pet.

"What would you like?" Ichigo asked, connecting gazes with the first person he saw, readying a few glasses for filling.

"Vodka Tonic please," the young man said, his eyes downcast from beneath a dark veil of hair that shrouded one eye.

Ichigo nodded, preparing the drink while smiling and asking for the man's I.D.

The brunet raised an eyebrow then shuffled in his back pocket for the requested card. He may have been tall and built with a deep voice, but Ichigo had learned that masculinity didn't necessarily mean legal. After glancing at the card, Ichigo slid the glass toward the customer and turned just in time to see a wide, green sleeve wrapping itself around his neck.

"Ichigo! How are you on this wonderful evening?" Kisuke sang, scrubbing a hand through Ichigo's strategically unorganized hair.

Ichigo squirmed out of the embrace, stubbornly fixing his misplaced locks while glaring at the amused bar owner. "It's about time you got here!" he scolded, having been more than familiar enough with his boss to realize he could get away with such a thing. Kisuke knew he was coming in late and wouldn't belittle Ichigo for pointing that out. He would, however, deny it was true no matter how many hours past his shift he showed up.

"Did you miss me that much?" Kisuke cooed, clasping a hand to his chest with a heartfelt gaze.

Ichigo rolled his eyes and turned to serve the next customer, forcing out a wry smile when the woman giggled at him for no apparent reason. "Don't kid yourself, old man," Ichigo said over his shoulder, then scowled when he realized Kisuke was actually talking to his cat who had wandered out of whatever hole she was hiding in and started circling Kisuke's legs, pressing against them lovingly.

"You and that damn cat," Ichigo muttered.

Kisuke gasped, bending enough for his treasured pet to hop up on his shoulder, and then he reached up to stroke her fur. "You will refer to her as Yoruichi-san, Ichigo! That is not a suggestion, but a rule," Kisuke nodded with all the seriousness he could muster and carefully turned around to help Ichigo clear out the crowd of people awaiting drinks at the bar.

Ichigo merely scowled and went about his job as he always did; half his mind used to bartend and the other half to daydream. That was, until it seemed his dreams had come to life. There, at the third booth from the door sat a blue eyed vision, the man he'd met less than a week ago outside. Ichigo nearly dropped the shaker he was holding, then calmed himself, tearing his eyes away long enough to finish mixing the drink. A burning blush had flooded its way up toward Ichigo's cheeks and the woman waiting for her beverage took his change of color as attraction directed at her.

She rested an elbow on the bar, luring her newly gained martini closer with one finger around the glass, and kept her eyes locked on the blushing bartender. "Hey cutie, what time do you get off?"

Startled, Ichigo pulled himself out of his thoughts and let his eyes clear, realizing he had been staring through the woman for the better part of a minute. "Excuse me- uh, sorry. I..."

"That's alright honey. So is it much longer?"

Ichigo glanced around, determined not to notice how low cut the woman's shirt was, or wonder just how far down that deep tan on her skin went. Her soft voice continued on, beckoning to him and Ichigo felt that he was going to fry on the spot. He may not have been interested in women, but they sure as fuck still made him nervous, especially the type like this, forward and unashamed.

"Well, alright. I dig the silent types," The woman scrawled something out on a napkin the pushed it toward him, grabbing her drink and tossing a wink over her shoulder before wandering away.

Ichigo gulped, glaring at the offending napkin. He considered leaving it there, but didn't want her to feel bad about it if he left it there. Ichigo quickly snatched it up and shoved it in his pocket, figuring that at the very least, he could pawn it off on Renji as a joke the next time he was feeling down. That was sure to go over well.

Ichigo blinked back up toward the blunet's booth and nearly fell forward over the bar when he saw the blonde woman who'd just offered up her number sliding into the deep cushioned seats next to the man he had been secretly admiring from afar. The blue haired male made room for her, but didn't look all that interested in her arrival, which Ichigo decided was better than nothing. The rest of the table, however were all eyes for her, as Ichigo figured was normal in that woman's case.

Finally letting his eyes stray from the blonde woman and blue-haired stud, Ichigo took notice of two others sitting at the same table. One guy had his head rested on the table over crossed arms, and then one other with stark, white hair. The second man's skin was paler than Ichigo had ever seen and he wore what Ichigo admittedly recognized as designer sunglasses, dark enough to shade his eyes from view.

Then Ichigo's eyes gravitated back toward the devil with blue hair. Continuing to serve drinks with the little bit of his attention it required, Ichigo kept looking up to study what the attractive man wore. It looked to be simple enough; a thick, black sleeveless tank with an equally dark, long sleeved shirt over top. The collar was raised and came up to frame his neck and jaw, and the front of it was unbuttoned and pulled open to reveal the way the shirt beneath it hugged his toned chest. Ichigo's breathing grew more and more labored the longer he stared and had to force himself to stop stealing glances when he realized he'd forgotten to card the last person that came by to pick up a drink.

Turning his attention to Tensa, who had just returned with a fresh uniform and recently combed hair, Ichigo offered him a smile and struck up a conversation, if for no other reason but to distract himself.

* * *

><p>Starrk groaned, eyes directed below the table where he'd just pulled his phone from his pocket. Without even a word, the rest of the group knew exactly who it was that was calling.<p>

"Yes Lilynette?" Starrk answered, one hand running back through his hair so that stray locks fell to either side of his face, nearly hanging long enough to reach his shoulders. Letting his head fall back on the edge of the booth, Starrk closed his eyes while the shrill voice of his sister rattled through the phone. About what? He didn't care.

"So you're going to just go along with what Nnoitra says?"

Though Grimmjow couldn't see Shiro's eyes, he could tell the albino was talking to him. He wrapped fingers around his second glass of beer and gave a slight shrug. Truthfully, he hadn't yet decided what to do and it was seriously grating on his nerves that he'd had such an issue with something he was so sure about only a few days back.

"I don't know. I just don't feel right going with something he pulled out of his ass," Grimmjow said with a growl, letting his eyes wander over to Starrk when the man gave out an unrestrained sigh and shoved his phone back in the pocket of his coat.

"I have to go," Starrk informed and sent a meaningful glance at the blonde, female member of their group, allowing his lips to tilt just enough for her to get his point.

"That's me too, then," Tia said, smiling wider as she slipped out of the booth and wrapped an arm around Starrk's waist. "You boys have yourselves a good night!" she called, leading the sleepy man out of the bar and onto the street with the orange headed bartender and her dare to hit on him already forgotten.

"What's with them?" Shiro questioned.

Grimmjow didn't bother to answer, only pondering further on what he was going to do. He had planned to make the first real move tonight, but with how unsure he was, it was starting to look like he'd have to push it back. That idea didn't sit well with him either.

"Fuck, you're dull as shit tonight," the albino remarked, balling up a straw wrapper and tossing at the blunet. "Just fag it up for the little fruit and you'll be done with that job in no time."

Grimmjow sneered and shifted uncomfortably in the booth. Something about seats that sank low when you sat in them just didn't work for him. He needed something firm beneath him, supportive. "If you're so eager," Grimmjow said, lifting his glass and giving Shiro one of his unreadable expressions. "Then why don't you bend him over yourself, and while he's bored out of his mind with your tiny dick, I'll ask him whatever I need to know."

Shiro didn't rise to the bait, but laughed instead, tossing his head back and cackling like the deranged freak he was. Grimmjow had to smirk at his friends' reaction. He loved to get a rise out of people, but Shiro's defense of laughing it off had always amused him.

"So is that a no? 'Cause I'd be more than glad to take this job off your hands," Shiro leaned back in the booth, bringing one arm up to rest on the back of his seat while looking over at the busy bartender. "Hell, just looking at that kid makes me all kinds of hard. I can't believe you aren't at least a little gay just from looking at him."

Grimmjow shook his head. "Gay or not, this one's mine. I'll figure it out as I go."

"Eh?" Shiro dipped his head, peering over his shades with both piercing, yellow eyes. "My man Grimmjow doesn't have a fuckin' plan? What the hell is this? Are you going soft on me, kitty?"

"Tch, fuck you, Shiro. Even without a plan, I can wrap this one up," Grimmjow snapped. "But don't worry, if I end up screwing him, I'll memorize all the pretty details just for you," Grimmjow sent a wink over the top of his glass and drank from it for a long moment as Shiro tore into laughter once again.

In the past, Grimmjow was willing to do just about anything for his job, but had never considered the possibility that something like this might come up. Usually, when a target was pegged with this or that sexual preference, the agent sent in would have corresponding tastes, and it was unlikely that he was paired with anyone he wasn't willing to fool with. Though at times, a particular case would require a higher ranked member, and so Grimmjow or Starrk would be sent to woo a guy or two despite their known preferences.

This job, Grimmjow figured, was likely to be a different story than the others. Unlike any of the other cases Grimmjow was given, there was virtually no information or clue about what he was supposed to be finding out. Only that Benihime's contained an interesting secret, one that Grimmjow's boss and his associates wanted to know more about. Being that Starrk was partial to shorter assignments, Grimmjow was chosen for the job with the promise that if he succeeded, he'd be considered for a raise and boost in rank, bringing him to first position on the team along with all of the perks that included.

Grimmjow settled his emptied glass back down on the table and cast a casual glance toward the bar. To his surprise, honey colored eyes met his gaze and Grimmjow found himself unable to resist the wide smile that broke out on his face. Ichigo's soft eyes went wide and then he turned away, pouring all of his attention onto a customer while Grimmjow beamed at the simple reaction. Now he was sure, Ichigo's shy behavior was indeed attraction and not just intimidation. Which meant Grimmjow was just about to get himself involved in a possibly very uncomfortable and new type of chase.

The worst kind of restraint he could ever have on a job was uncertainty about if he actually wanted the target or not, so this would prove to be interesting. How badly did he want the information, the promotion and recognition? Grimmjow's job was his life, which meant putting aside anything else, including his inhibitions. Tonight he was going to cross the line, and even though the idea made his gut turn, Grimmjow realized he was surprisingly thrilled about doing just that.

* * *

><p>Last call went out at 2am and Ichigo spent the next half hour churning out drinks faster than his half attentive mind could register. It was simple enough, something he had become so adapt at that simply hearing the name of a drink automatically led his hands to the right materials, and in minutes he was sending the customer on their way.<p>

For the entire night, the albino man and the blue haired stranger occupied booth three, chatting it up loudly and occasionally erupting into obnoxious laughter. Ichigo's whole body tensed at the rich sound of Grimmjow's voice each time it carried across the room and met his ears. He kept wishing he bussed tables tonight instead of working at the bar so he could go over and take a closer look at those captivating eyes and dangerous lips.

"Ichi?"

Ichigo jumped half a foot in the air before catching himself, and twisted around to meet Shinji's gleeful face. "Oh, you scared me."

"Why so jumpy?" Shinji asked, hoisting himself up to sit on the edge of the bar, feet kicking while he tilted his head at his curiously skittish friend. "You usually catch me long before I can sneak up on you."

Ichigo slumped. Shinji knew him way too well for his own good. It was scary how he could call him on anything before Ichigo even realized it was true. At least it seemed like Shinji had gotten over the whiny stage of his sun burn.

"I saw you staring at that guy across the room," Shinji licked his lips and his feet kicked harder than before. "Gawd, but what I'd give to slide my tongue all the way up that perfect che-"

"Shinji!" Ichigo scoffed, hoping to hide the fact that he'd been daydreaming about the very same thought for most of his shift. "Not so loud!" Ichigo lowered his voice and glanced over warily at said blunet. "What if he could hear you?"

Shinji shrugged his shoulders, replying louder than he'd spoken before. "I hope he did! I'd love to hear what he'd have to say when I lay a nice, hard smack on that ass of his!"

"OhmygodShinji," Ichigo said in a rush, seizing his friend's wrist and yanking him off the bar to drag him as far out of sight as possible. "I get it; you want me to admit that I think he's hot, and I do, okay? But it's difficult enough not to get hard without you pointing out each and every one of his god-like qualities, _alright_? Happy?"

Shinji nodded joyfully and flicked the end of Ichigo's nose. "It wasn't so bad saying all that now was it?"

"It was horrible," Ichigo muttered, unable to hide the smile tugging at his lips when Shinji grinned smugly.

"Soooo who is he? Where's he from? Have you guys talked?" Shinji babbled on, rattling off every question he could think of before Ichigo clapped a hand over his mouth and shook his head.

"Not now. I have to close the bar tonight since Tensa had to head out early and Kisuke…is Kisuke. I'll call you tomorrow and tell you anything you want to know, okay?"

Shinji agreed and pulled Ichigo close, sneaking a quick kiss onto his cheek before bounding away and sending an unashamed wink at the blue haired man on his way out the door. Ichigo shook his head and started unbuttoning the front of his vest while heading toward the closet for a rag and sanitizer to wipe the bar down. When he got back to the counter, he set down both the wash cloth and spray bottle, and then started clearing away the rest of the dirty glasses left by long gone customers.

Ichigo hadn't noticed that he was mostly alone; only one patron was left, wandering in his direction with a grin that showed nearly every one of his shiny, white teeth.

* * *

><p>Grimmjow took a slow pace, coming up on the tangerine as carefully as he could without making a sound. After watching the bartenders blond friend prance out the door, he'd sent Shiro away right behind him and then slipped out of the booth to begin his journey across the room.<p>

Ichigo had just piled a couple of half empty glasses onto a tray and was about to turn around when Grimmjow stopped just behind him and offered a hearty greeting of "Oi!"

Ichigo spun in an instant, all the while losing grip on his tray, and down went the three half-finished glasses of beer, skidding right off of the plastic tray and spilling across the front of Grimmjow's shirt.

"Shit! Where did you-? Nevermind..I am SO sorry!" Ichigo quickly tossed the tray on the counter and scooped up the rag for wiping the bar, holding it out to the man while bending to gather up the fallen glasses and half melted cubes of ice. "I can't believe...I am just so sorry!" Ichigo continued on, not even realizing who he was talking to until a strong hand closed around his wrist and he looked up to meet a fiery, blue stare directed right back at him. "Oh..." Ichigo was _sure_ his heart skipped a beat.

"Do you always run around ready to explode like that?" Grimmjow asked, smiling at the way Ichigo gaped at him. "Looks like you've just seen the devil himself," he continued, chuckling and pulling the kid up from the ground.

Ichigo laughed weakly and lifted a hand to scratch the back of his neck. "Sorry. I didn't see you there."

"Quit saying sorry already, fuck," Grimmjow took one look at the trembling target of his assigned job and then froze.

_How the… what the hell?_

Grimmjow had every intension of swooping in and taking advantage of Ichigo's cautious behavior with his customary charm and reassurance, but instead, out popped his ingrained nature of being a complete jackass by all accounts. He pressed his lips together and gave Ichigo another once over, realizing that somehow the kid wasn't completely thrown off by his rude comments, and instead looked to be unsurprised by it.

"What's your name?" Grimmjow demanded, figuring it was too late to suddenly be the gentleman now.

Ichigo resisted the urge to keep cleaning the huge mess he'd made and watched while Grimmjow brushed the rag he'd given him over his messy shirt. "Ichigo," he muttered and sucked his lip up between his teeth. Fuck, had he really spilled beer all over his crushes shirt? What the hell was he doing that he didn't even notice somebody standing behind him for the second, no wait, third time in one night?

_Oh right, thinking about the tall, gorgeous sex-on-legs that was now dripping wet in front of him with a leer that made his ankles feel they might give at any second._

"Y-you?" Ichigo asked. Holy hell, he needed to get himself under control. _Be a man, Ichigo and stand the fuck up straight! _What was that guy doing standing right behind him like that anyway? Idiot.

"Grimmjow Jaegerjaques," the man said, his smooth voice twisting the name with a slight accent that made Ichigo melt all over again. "Don't you have a last name, Ichigo?"

Ichigo nodded. "Kurosaki. You probably recog-"

"Kurosaki? Ah yeah, like the guy with the monkey face in those ridiculous medical commercials?"

Ichigo might have been defensive about Grimmjow insulting his father if he hadn't agreed with his opinion right down to the last word. "Yeah, that'd be the one. He's my dad," he said with a sigh and then turned to find another rag to clean his mess up.

Grimmjow followed him along, abandoning the useless task of cleaning his shirt. It didn't matter all that much anyway since it was black, he just hated being wet. "Do you have anything I can change into? I kind of needed to look nice for where I was going after this."

Ichigo paused and looked back at the other man. Grimmjow had just finished pulling off his long sleeve shirt, revealing two thickly muscled arms and strong shoulders that brought a sudden surge of drool to his mouth. Sucking it all up and swallowing it down, Ichigo cleared his throat and then motioned toward the lift. "Yeah, I might have something downstairs you can use. Let me go grab it."

Grimmjow leaned against the bar and scowled while Ichigo walked away, then looked back up when he saw that the tangerine had paused near the old elevator and was frowning over at him. "The fuck is that look for?"

Ichigo's frown deepened and his head tilted slightly. "I was just thinking you might as well come with me. I don't think you really want to change out here in the middle of the bar, right?"

Grimmjow shrugged. "You've got a point there, kid."

Ichigo turned back just in time for the elevator doors to swish open, and he loaded into the tiny room, Grimmjow filing in behind him.

"I'm 26," Ichigo suddenly blurted, heat coloring his face while the lift went down.

"Heh?"

"You called me kid," Ichigo clenched his fists, hating it when people his age treated him like he was young. The doors swung back open and he stepped out, trailing into the room and sighing when he felt the cooler air hit his body. It was always so much hotter up in the bar. Grimmjow walked out behind him until he turned and held a hand up. "You have to stay here, employees only and all that crap."

Grimmjow rolled his eyes, but waited, glancing around the mostly dark room and finding that it looked to be a break area for those that worked up stairs. "I guess you probably don't have anything that matches what I'm wearing? Grimmjow hollered, then lowered his voice when Ichigo returned with a navy blue button up shirt.

"Black and blue match, right?" Ichigo honestly wasn't sure, but he had a hard time believing anything wouldn't look good on this guy. "I don't know if you're really going to fit since we have different...uh, builds, but you can try rolling up the sleeves if they're too short," Ichigo held out the shirt and stood back while Grimmjow peeled the sleeveless tee off his body; arm and chest muscles flexing beneath his smooth, golden skin and bringing twice the naughty images straight back into Ichigo's mind.

Ichigo turned around, fighting the blush on his face and hoping to any higher power that he wouldn't be sporting a raging hard on when he looked down. Luckily enough, he seemed to have it under control, but wouldn't bet on that lasting if Grimmjow took any longer getting dressed. When he turned back around, Grimmjow was humming to himself while tucking the ends of the shirt back into his pants.

"Looks like a perfect fit," Grimmjow said with a smirk, extending his arms and rolling his shoulders.

Ichigo nodded, though he noticed that the shirt didn't quite hang on Grimmjow's body as much as it did on his own frame, instead hugging his body tightly as Grimmjow's previous shirt had. "Perfect," he muttered under his breath.

In fact, all of it had been just a little too perfect. Remembering a conversation he'd had with Shinji a couple of weeks ago, Ichigo suddenly raised his head and stared at Grimmjow suspiciously. "I know why you're here," he said, deciding that his assumption just had to be right.

Grimmjow's head shot up and he frowned at Ichigo. "What?"

"I know. I can't believe I didn't realize it earlier, but now I can tell...The 'accidental' spill, your suggestion that I let you borrow a shirt, accepting my invitation down here. I get it now."

Grimmjow had frozen on the spot, jaw tightening while he thought back on his actions that night and wondered where he'd gone wrong. Six years and he'd never once been caught. Maybe there would be suspicion on longer jobs as his lies had to be spun more intricately, but never had he been faced with someone so easily calling his bluff. Who the fuck was this kid anyway? Some kind of mind reader? Grimmjow liked to think that he could read people accurately, but he had seriously underestimated the orange-headed goof.

"Don't be so surprised, it's happened before," Ichigo laughed and walked back toward the closet to retrieve his bag, shuffling in it while strapping it over his shoulder. "I get it, I really do, and I don't blame you," Finding his keys, Ichigo yanked them out and stepped closer to Grimmjow again, laying a hand on his shoulder and smiling disarmingly.

Grimmjow's eyes widened, surprised by the way Ichigo's soft contact with him had sent a bolt of fire through his entire body. Was he really so off guard? Was he, for once in the entire time he'd had this career, a little bit scared? Caught?

"I didn't know this at first and I'm not sure I really believe it," Ichigo went on "But after a friend clued me in, I realized it might just be true. I can be pretty dense sometimes..." Ichigo let his hand slide down off of Grimmjow's shoulder, tracing it over his long arm until his fingers grazed the back of Grimmjow's hand. "You wanted to hook up, right? Maybe get me alone after hours, sneak down here and have a quick rut? If it makes you feel any better, I kept thinking about it too."

Grimmjow didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Was Ichigo just playing with him or was he really that stupid? Shit, at least he hadn't figured him out, that was a relief. Grimmjow forced out a snort and twisted his hand to grab Ichigo's wrist, bending the tangerine's arm while bringing him close and letting the excitement of the moment guide his next words. "You're hot, Ichigo, I'll give you that. But it's going to take more than lending me your shirt to get a piece of this, understand?"

Instead of backing down like he had been all night, Ichigo's temper flared and he had to bite his cheek to keep from telling Grimmjow exactly how he felt. If Grimmjow hadn't wanted sex, then what the hell was going on? Was it an honest accident and he'd just made a complete fool of himself in front of a guy he was totally hot for? Or was there something else...?

"Fine, deny it, but don't think I don't know what's really going on!" Ichigo said stubbornly, jerking his hand out of Grimmjow's grip and sneering when the other man snickered.

"Look kid, I don't care if you believe me or not, but if you want, maybe we can do something about those delusions you seem to have," Grimmjow chuckled again and Ichigo frowned at the way it made his heart flutter.

"I say we hang out and see if there's anything really happening between us. Then you can decide what you think was going on here tonight."

"Hang out?" Ichigo paused and rubbed a hand over the place Grimmjow had grabbed his wrist. The hold had been much tighter than he expected and somehow beyond his embarrassment and anger, he found that it turned him on. "You mean like a date?"

"I'd call it more of a test drive," Grimmjow explained. "I'll bring some friends to keep it casual, and you can too. I hear there's a carnival down in Karakura, so why don't we meet this weekend, on let's say… Saturday around noon?"

Ichigo sucked in a breath and wet his lips. Was this really happening? He just basically threw himself over a ledge and far away from any chance of being with Grimmjow with a stupid assumption based on one of Shinji's lunatic rants, and had somehow landed on a perfect opportunity to not only date him but meet his friends? "I ... um."

"I'll take that as a yes," Grimmjow pulled out his phone and brought up a list for a new contact. "What's your number? So I can call you when we get there."

While Ichigo rattled off the numbers, hoping he'd been giving the right ones, he stared at the man in front of him with narrowed, unsure eyes and his mind quickly filling with a mixture of alarms and chorus-like praise.

After Grimmjow saved the contact and snapped a quick picture of Ichigo's gaping face to add to it, he slipped the phone back in his pocket and offered a simple wave before heading back toward the lift and taking it up alone.

As Grimmjow walked out at the top, humming to the tune of the music from the elevator, he couldn't help but laugh at how he'd actually believed that Ichigo figured him out. He still wasn't sure if the plan of attempting to seduce Ichigo was really his best course of action, but it seemed to have worked out so far, and best of all, he'd done it all by being himself. Could things have gotten any sweeter?

* * *

><p>"Are you kidding me? You invited a complete stranger and some of his friends to come out with us?"<p>

Ichigo fidgeted, unable to meet Shinji's eyes. "Yes. Well, no. He invited us…"

"You're insane."

Two broad shoulders lifted into a shrug and Ichigo grabbed a pillow from across the bed to support his head on it. "Aren't you the one always trying to get me to go out and meet new people?"

"Not complete strangers!" Shinji yelled, making his friend flinch and roll further away on the bed. He'd have smacked Ichigo if it wasn't still painful to stretch his sunburned arm that far above his head.

"How can a person be new to me at all if they don't start off as a stranger?" Ichigo challenged. "Besides, how is this any different from you hooking me up with just about any half decent guy you can find in that club you work at? I don't know any of them."

"But I do, Ichigo! Those guys are regulars, real nice men," Shinji reached feebly for the bottle of aloe next to his bed, making a scene of it until Ichigo got up and handed it to him. "You'd have a lot of fun with them, Ichi," Shinji added as if he were scolding him.

"How does you sitting in somebody's lap and complimenting their faults make them a trustworthy person?" Ichigo had a feeling he'd be regretting that as soon as it was out of his mouth. But instead of a whine or punch from Shinji, all he got was a pouty lip.

"That's not fair, and you know it," Shinji hissed when he spread the first bit of cool gel onto his bare shoulder. "Damn it, this is all your fault!" he accused for the tenth time that day.

"The sunburn is your own fault and you know it," Ichigo took the bottle from Shinji and lifted the back of the blond's shirt to get the hard spots for him. "But I am a little on edge about this. I haven't gone on any sort of date for a long time. I know this is just supposed to be us hanging out, but I don't really know him and I have to meet all of his friends and... What am I even going to wear?"

Shinji turned to stare at his friend. "Really, Ichigo? Did you really just ask that?"

A smile grew on Ichigo's face as a similar one spread across Shinji's. "Oh I don't know, I don't think I know anybody with any sort of style or- OW, okay fine, you can dress me. But I have to approve!" Ichigo rubbed his arm where he'd been firmly smacked.

"Sure, sure," Shinji waved a not so reassuring hand in the air and then turned on the mattress bounced a bit, scooting closer to Ichigo. Suddenly, he didn't look to be in so much pain. "So do you want to look casually handsome or double take sexy?"

"Do I really have a choice in this?" Ichigo whined.

"No, just thought I'd make you think you do," Shinji laughed when Ichigo sighed.

* * *

><p><strong><span>AN:**

As per usual, I swayed for longer chapters that just take me a bit longer to get finished. I get the feeling my readers like that, so I'll stick with what works. I realize this chapter was a slight bit boring, but things will be much more interesting from now on.

Also, the rankings for the 'espada' characters, or as they're called here, the 'Seven' members, are a little different, so I'll clarify to clear up any confusion: Starrk is still first, Grimmjow is ranked second, Shiro is third, Ulquiorra and Nnoitra still have their original numbers as fourth and fifth. Tia is sixth and Szayel is now seventh. So the only changes are Grimmjow, Szayel, Tia and Shiro who is obviously not an espada, but that isn't all that relevant in this story :P

So what do we think about the first chapter? Good? Bad? Let me know! More to come soon~


	2. Diligence

**Chapter Two: Diligence.**

**OR**

**Getting Things Straight.**

* * *

><p>"Wow, Ichi. Do you own even a single shirt that doesn't have a collar?" Shinji slid countless hangers of shirts aside as he sifted through Ichigo's closet. "I mean I get it, you have a freakishly long neck, but this is kind of extreme."<p>

Ichigo lifted a hand to touch his neck. "It's long? My neck is _long_? Why didn't you ever tell me?" Predictably, Ichigo hurried over to a mirror and scoped out his neck, turning his head side to side. "It …is! What the hell?"

"Who knows?" Shinji sighed, raising his hands as he gave up searching the closet. "But I'm going to have to take your giraffe ass down to the mall if I can't find a regular freaking tee-shirt to put on you."

Ichigo was still hunched in front of the mirror, leaning in and rubbing a hand up from his chest, across his neck to his jaw. "Do you think he noticed?"

With a dramatic roll of his eyes, Shinji came up behind Ichigo and draped his arms over his friend's shoulders. The blond peered at the reflection of both of them in the mirror and pulled Ichigo's hand from his throat. "Your neck is not long. I was just messing with you because you're so damn gullible. Now find me. A freaking. Shirt."

"You wha- Damn it, Shinji! Did you ever think to look in one of the _three_ dressers in the room? I've got more shirts than you probably have shoes. How else would I manage to wear a different one just about every day of the year?"

Shinji pulled back and cocked a hip. "Now how was I supposed to know that?"

"Don't normal people hang their nice shirts and fold regular ones? Or am I long necked _and_ retarded at storing my clothes, too?"

"Oh, let it go, Ichi. Your neck is fine," Shinji yanked open the closest dresser and tore through it. He figured since everything was messy and unorganized already, it wouldn't matter if he screwed the piles up a little more. "Ha, here we go. A plain, blue V-necked shirt. It's a miracle!" Shinji laid it out on the bed and went back to the closet, finding a pair of dark jeans that he remembered fit Ichigo very well. "I think that should do," he agreed with himself, one hand on his chin while he looked over the way he'd laid everything out on the bed. "Do you still have those black-"

"Yes, Shinji. I still have them," Ichigo interrupted, knowing ahead of time that the blond would want him to wear his black and navy Puma's. "Anything else before I parade around in the tenth outfit you've had me try since you arrived?" he asked indignantly, though he had to admit that this one looked pretty good and comfortable too.

"Yeah, just grab a belt and I think you're good. Unless you hate this one already?" Shinji's lips quirked. "It's not just me that's been rejecting the last couple outfits, you know," he said. "And you're the one that claims this isn't even a date."

"If it's not then why are you dressed up?" Ichigo accused, smiling wildly as Shinji cast his eyes off to the side. Shinji was just about the only guy Ichigo had ever known that wore a tie as part of a casual outfit. The blond was lucky he looked so good in them.

"I'm single. I can't afford _not_ to look my best at all times," Shinji defended. "Anyway, what if one of Grimmjow's friends is hot? I mean, that kind of guy runs in groups, right?"

"It's not like they're migratory beasts, Shinji! " Ichigo looked thoughtful, still absently rubbing his neck. "But I did hear that good looking people grouped up with others that were less attractive than themselves."

"Then why am I still hanging out with you?" Shinji laughed, enjoying the sight of Ichigo quickly growing red. "Go get dressed, we've only got half an hour to pick Tensa up and drive out there."

Ichigo nodded robotically, gathering up the clothing from the bed, picking out his favorite belt, some socks and trying not to rush into the bathroom to get ready. He was probably_ too_ excited about going out with complete strangers, but could he really be blamed when one of them was that delicious blunet?

"Would ya hurry up in there?" Shinji shouted, standing in front of the mirror to make sure his short, blond hair was perfectly straight. He kind of missed having it long, but it was just such a pain to manage. Shinji heard Ichigo mumbling to himself in the bathroom and then a loud bang before even more, louder muttering and an unmistakable curse. He chuckled at his nervous friend and wandered out of the bedroom toward the front door, working on putting his shoes back on.

A couple minutes later, Ichigo came out with the form fitting, navy shirt that showed just enough of his sun kissed chest and hip hugging pants. His feet were socked and a belt was wrapped firmly around his waist. "Is this okay?" Ichigo grumbled, biting at his lip when Shinji looked up through the veil of his bangs.

"Ichi..."

"What?" Ichigo snapped, looking away with pink spilling over his cheeks and down his neck. "Is it that bad?"

"Bad? No! Shit, you look hot as hell."

"You're exaggerating," Ichigo said mutely, lifting a hand to check that his hair hadn't flopped out of its purposely disorganized spikes.

"Ah-ah!" Shinji hurried over and batted Ichigo's hand away. "You look fine, and I mean dayum fine. So quit messin' and let's go."

Ichigo nodded, it was best not to argue. He set the shoes he was holding on the floor to slip them on and lace them. Carnivals weren't something Ichigo recalled going to except for once when he was too young to remember much about it. All he knew was that if there were any clowns, he was staying away from them at all costs. Once his shoes were done, Ichigo stood up to find Shinji standing a foot away from him with a hand raised to bite at his short nails. "What now?" Ichigo sighed.

"You look so…" Shinji cocked his head, eyes scanning Ichigo up and down. "It's just been a while since I've seen you date. It's weird."

Ichigo grimaced as he shifted. His shoes were laced a little tighter than usual. It wouldn't do to lose them on a ride. "Why's it weird?"

"I've never seen you so nervous like this, that's all. You look great and I'm proud of you."

Just a few days ago Shinji was scolding Ichigo for meeting strangers and now he was proud of him? Ichigo rolled his eyes and walked off, snatching his keys off the coffee table and leading the way out the door.

Soon enough, they were on their way. Both Shinji and Tensa were piled into the front seat of Ichigo's truck while the tangerine navigated the cramped streets of Karakura town, the area near where the carnival was set up. Ichigo's fingers tapped anxiously on the wheel and he almost ran a light when he started to think about how stupid he'd been when he assumed that Grimmjow was hitting on him back in the bar. He_ still_ stubbornly believed that Grimmjow liked him and that the blunet had revised his plan once caught, but it was pretty bold of Ichigo to call the guy out like that and risk losing any further association. It would have been a lot fucking smoother to just ask Grimmjow for a number or something.

Just before they pulled into the lot, Ichigo's phone rang and he jumped when it buzzed against his leg. Shinji giggled from the passenger side and Tensa glanced over at Ichigo with an eyebrow arched beneath his long bangs.

"It must be Grimmjow," Ichigo said, working a hand into his pocket to retrieve the phone while driving. Connecting the call, he hit the button for speaker phone and dropped it into his lap. "Hello?"

"You here yet?" Grimmjow's deep voice asked, and Ichigo sucked in a deep breath. Even through the phone, that playful yet demanding tone did all sorts of things to him.

"I… We just got here."

There was a grunt on the other end and some commotion that Ichigo couldn't quite interpret. "Grimmjow?"

"-told you to quit fuckin' touching my radio or I'm going to rip that hand off and shove it up your ass!"

Everyone in the truck exchanged looks at the sudden outburst from the phone. After another moment of muffled yelling, Shinji leaned over Tensa, causing the brunet to hurriedly sit back and he snatched Ichigo's cell from his lap.

"You do understand how to talk on a phone, right?" Shinji said, holding the device out in front of him by its corner. Ichigo shot him an annoyed look, but Shinji shrugged it off.

"What? Who's this?" Grimmjow asked, apparently having sorted out the situation in his own car. "Put Ichigo back on. Or do _you_not know how calling someone works? People usually call the person they want to talk to and I didn't call you."

"Well that's too bad 'cause Ichi's drivin' right now. Maybe you shouldn't be calling him while you're in the middle of a conversation with someone else. Or while you're driving for that matter," Shinji's hand waved around as he spoke, worrying Ichigo for the safety of his phone.

"I wasn't...alright, look you little shit-" Grimmjow started to argue.

"That's enough!" Ichigo yelled, startling both other passengers in the truck and Grimmjow on the phone. After having found a parking spot, the tangerine turned off his car and reached out to take the phone back from Shinji with a scowl. "Grimmjow, we're parked now, so let's just…" Ichigo sighed irritably and pulled down the mirror in front of him to check his hair. "We'll meet you guys at the front gate, okay?"

Grimmjow sighed on the other end, but agreed and clapped his phone shut without so much as a goodbye. Then he turned in his car seat, giving Shiro a meaningful glare. "Had to go and fuck that up for me, didn't you?"

Shiro just laughed and unbuckled his seatbelt. The two of them piled out of the car just in time to see the third person joining them, driving up in his own vehicle. Nnoitra _refused_ a ride with Grimmjow because he wasn't exactly normal person size and wouldn't fit in the teensy car. That, and Grimmjow's car wasn't built to hold more than two unless absolutely necessary.

There was slamming, clicking and beeping as car doors were shut and locked, and then the three men headed out towards the gate.

"Wanna tone down the swagger there, champ?" Shiro remarked, watching as Grimmjow literally strutted toward the crowds of people at the ticket line, his face gleaming with excitement.

Grimmjow hadn't even realized how much he was looking forward to this little event until the day had arrived. Hearing Ichigo on the phone, however annoyed, had made it all the more real and he was positively thrumming with anticipation. What confused him was that his excitement was not only caused by being close to starting a job, but also about doing something he wasn't accustomed to, which was courting a guy.

"Something wrong with being happy?" Grimmjow stated more than asked, and he sent a hand back through his wild hair. "It's about time I got this damn job on the road, that's all."

"Uh huh," Shiro grinned, but didn't push it. He knew he was one comment away from seeing Grimmjow's fist fly through his face. Not that he didn't think he could put up a good fight, but Grimmjow was pretty crafty when he got the drop on someone. Because of that, Shiro had learned to always be on guard when the blunet was around, even if he trusted the guy to some extent.

"Couldn't help but notice you don't have one of your charmin' outfits on, Grim," Nnoitra said in reference to Grimmjow's usual formal attire on jobs. "Got a different plan for this guy, or is there something goin' on I don't know about?" The tall man came up on the other side of Grimmjow, clasping a hand over his broad shoulder, which he knew Grimmjow hated for him to do.

Grimmjow shrugged the hand off, but didn't let his smile fall. "I just felt like being myself for once, is that such a crime? And why are you two all up my ass? I've been doing this for years. I think I've got it under control."

"Che, alright. Didn't mean to twist your panties in a bunch," Nnoitra snickered and Shiro joined in. Even Grimmjow shook his head while stifling a laugh.

All three of them had found that particular saying rather humorous since someone pointed out a while back that Ulquiorra's sour mood was probably caused by a bunching issue with the frilly panties they all assumed he wore. The joke alone, even if not founded in real fact, had always summoned funny images for the three whenever it was brought up.

When the laughter died away, Nnoitra pushed again, knowing he hadn't met Grimmjow's limit just yet. "So are you gonna play it straight tonight or swing it like the rest of u-"

"I said cut it out," Grimmjow scowled over at Nnoitra and the lanky man zipped his trap, lifting his hands in surrender with his face still spread in a wide grin. Shiro started up giggling again until Grimmjow shoved an elbow into his ribs. The albino choked on his next insult and hunched forward coughing and hacking.

"Serves you right," Grimmjow remarked, and came to a stop when they'd finished walking across the parking lot, arriving at the front carnival gate. Piles of people were milling around, buying tickets or waiting, like they were, for someone else. Grimmjow scanned the crowd. Without much of a problem at all, he found the bright mop of orange off to his left with a tall blond and short brunet (hey, it's Droopy) at each of his sides. They weren't even all that close and already Grimmjow's mouth was growing dry. Ichigo looked so much better in casual clothing than he did in uniform, and that shirt..

Grimmjow licked his lips, a gleam lighting his eyes, and changed his direction toward the three boys with Nnoitra and Shiro quick on his heels. Judging by the sudden silence between the three and their eager pace, Grimmjow knew they were all thinking the same basic thing.

Tonight was going to be interesting.

* * *

><p>"Shit, there he is," Ichigo whispered, wanting to back away but finding that Shinji's hand was pressed against his lower back to keep him from doing so.<p>

"Calm down, Ichi. It's not a date, remember?" Shinji rubbed his friends back reassuringly and Tensa smiled at them both in agreement. "We're just hanging out," the blond added "and if you want it to go further than that, you have to show him you're confident."

Ichigo rolled back his shoulders and drew in a deep breath. He could do this, no big deal. Grimmjow probably liked him already, so it couldn't be that hard to get him interested enough to want a real date. Ichigo just had to be himself. That's what brought Grimmjow to him in the first place_. Or it had been a complete accident and he was about to make an even bigger fool of himself._

When Ichigo locked eyes with those striking blue ones, a weak breath shuddered out of his mouth. "Oh god, I am so not ready for this," he whined, quietly enough for only his friends to hear. It felt like he hadn't dated for centuries. When the hell had he turned into such a hermit? Grimmjow wasn't dressed up like he had back in the bar, but Ichigo decided he didn't need to, he still looked good.

Not good, _incredible_.

A tight, nearly sleeveless shirt clung to Grimmjow's body, accenting the thick stretches of muscles across his chest and revealing his strong arms. Jeans, a belt with a wide buckle and heavy, black shoes finished the look, but Ichigo couldn't pry his gaze away from Grimmjow's eyes long enough to fully appreciate how damn hot he looked.

Ichigo reached back to grasp Shinji's hand for reassurance, but his hand passed through air and he turned to find Shinji looking just as shaken with a hand raised over his mouth and his lips formed into an 'o' shape beneath his fingers.

"Shinji?" Ichigo asked with no forthcoming response. He cast a glance at Tensa for support, but once again, Ichigo was met with a distracted, rigid stance, and had to shake his head. What were those three anyway? A bunch of fucking rock stars? Just by walking over, Grimmjow and his friends had thrown Ichigo, Shinji and Tensa into a mess of jelly and nerves.

"Holy shit," Shinji finally exclaimed, reaching out to take Ichigo's outstretched hand. "Ichi...Ichi do you see that guy? He's like..." Shinji couldn't conjure the words if he wanted to. How could he have been so lucky that Grimmjow would bring such a jaw-droppingly good looking friend along with him? Mentally checking off this and that item on his personal check list, Shinji swallowed a _manly_ squeal and squeezed Ichigo's hand instead.

"I see him," Ichigo confirmed, though it was a bit of a lie. His eyes hadn't left Grimmjow's form since he spotted him. Ichigo started biting his lip as Grimmjow and his friends finally reached them, and the six men exchanged a silent moment of smoldering stares and heated thoughts.

"Do you always bring a boyfriend on a date with another man?" Grimmjow asked, eyes flicking toward Ichigo's hand with Shinji's wrapped in its grip. Grimmjow was still wearing that wicked smile so Ichigo knew it hadn't really meant anything, but he somehow found himself jerking his hand away from Shinji's and stuffing it into his pocket.

"He's not my boyfriend," Ichigo defended and stared toward the ground. He'd been so embarrassed by the comment that he didn't realize Grimmjow just called it a date.

Shinji hadn't moved. His hand still lingered out to his side where Ichigo had held it and he looked to be holding his breath, eyes only for the tall, raven haired man with a smirk that made Ichigo's skin crawl beneath his clothing.

"That's Nnoitra," Grimmjow said, nodding his head toward the taller man. Then he tilted his head of vibrant blue hair toward the albino on his right. "And this here is Snow White."

"It's Shiro," the albino corrected with a sneer.

"Shinji" The blond suddenly piped up, thrusting a hand in Nnoitra's face, which was quickly taken. Neither of the two had set eyes on anyone else, so after a glance at Tensa, Ichigo decided to do introductions for him.

"This is Tensa," Ichigo said with a small gesture in the brunet's direction, and then shoved the hand into his other pocket while rocking nervously on his feet. "Are you guys ready to go?" he asked tensely, afraid to interrupt whatever the hell it was that was going on between his and Grimmjow's friends.

Grimmjow tossed his head back and laughed, and it had this strange effect on Ichigo that he couldn't describe. Similar to how he felt when he heard it for the first time at the bar. Now, he was much closer and Ichigo could see each of Grimmjow's teeth and how his body vibrated with each force of air from his lungs. All of it, every second, was just gorgeous.

Grimmjow extended a big hand out to loop it around Ichigo's upper arm. "Maybe we should give these love birds a moment and buy everyone some tickets," he suggested, dragging Ichigo away. Ichigo nodded faintly, head turning to look back at his friends with worry as he was dragged toward the ticketing booth.

"They'll be fine," Grimmjow assured, letting his hand fall away from Ichigo's arm when he figured the kid was convinced. He reached back to pull his wallet out of a rear pocket and then handed some cash to the person behind the booth.

Ichigo spent the next couple of moments thinking about how Grimmjow's loose jeans hardly did his firm ass justice and before he realized it, Grimmjow had paid for all of their tickets and was grabbing at his wrist to strap a thin, paper bracelet around it.

"Don't lose this," Grimmjow informed. "Let's you drink without having to give ID."

Ichigo nodded numbly, unable to find the words to inform Grimmjow that he hadn't planned on drinking anyway, or to ask how Grimmjow got the bracelets without showing everyone's ID's to the guy behind the booth. Ichigo glanced back at his friends again, shocked when he saw that they were all standing in a line behind him and Grimmjow. Grimmjow turned, handing the rest their bracelets, but he paused at Tensa.

"How old are you?" the blunet asked, narrowing his eyes at the kid he knew as Droopy.

Tensa bit his lip and mumbled through his teeth. "Twenty four..." He worked in a bar, so it couldn't be all that surprising that he was legal, could it?

Ichigo put in his two cents to assure Grimmjow and the bracelet was handed over.

Shiro muttered something about 'ripe for the pickin' under his breath. Shocked, Ichigo sent an incredulous stare at the albino, and Grimmjow snorted, turning back around to step through the gates. Soon after, the rest followed, with Ichigo resolving to keep a close eye on Shiro just in case.

Bright lights and thick smells immediately met their senses and Ichigo's face lit up without him noticing. He'd always loved theme parks, so seeing something like this, which was so similar, made his heart rate escalate dramatically. A mixture of mulch and dirt crunched beneath his feet and everything smelled of popcorn, one of Ichigo's favorite foods.

Grimmjow headed off in the direction of the first ride that caught his eyes, snickering at the look of awe on Ichigo's face.

"You would pick this one first," Nnoitra muttered, remembering sourly that his last experience with that particular ride had ended with him walking out with somebody else's barf all over him. It took a week of showers and scrubbing to get the smell of it out of his hair.

"Aw, gonna cry, Nnoi?" Shiro had both hands up by his face, pointers bent and pressed next to his eyes in a mock-crying act.

"You're the one that always screams like a bitch on these things," Nnoitra shot back, earning amused stares from Ichigo and his friends.

Grimmjow shook his head at the two and led the way toward the line for the _Kamikaze_. Two opposing hammer shaped arms spun vertically next to each other while the music blared around them and screams tore out from the carts on the end of each one.

Ichigo gulped as he watched the ride spinning much faster than he felt comfortable thinking about. He loved rides like this, but watching other people on them always made him psych himself out a little bit. Shinji bumped shoulders with him gently, smiling over at him, and Ichigo let himself relax. It was just a ride, after all.

Looking at the rest of the group, Ichigo realized he wasn't the only one that felt anxious. Grimmjow looked fine, but both Shiro and Nnoitra were eying the front of the line warily, the latter running a nervous hand through his hair now and then. It was strange to see such a big guy look anything but menacing.

Ten or fifteen minutes of waiting in line brought them to the ride. Ichigo didn't have much choice of who he sat next to in the two-seater rows as Grimmjow dragged him into one, not allowing him a chance for any questions. Behind them, Shinji joined Nnoitra and Shiro unsurprisingly chose a row with Tensa further back.

Ichigo frowned when the metal doors were closed around him and various people started chatting in their seats. Somehow, he and Grimmjow had ended up being in the very front. He didn't think it was coincidence, either.

"Scared?" Grimmjow asked, reaching up to pull the harness down that went over his front with a few tightening clicks.

Ichigo shook his head as much as he could with the unrelenting straps of the seat restricting his movement. "I love stuff like this, I just don't go out and do it very often."

Grimmjow looked over, genuine interest on his face as he listened. "Why not?" he asked, turning his head when someone came by to check that their row was buckled in securely. The person was gone in a moment, continuing down the aisle.

"I don't know, actually," Ichigo chuckled for some reason he wasn't entirely aware of. "When I have free time I normally go to the beach."

"Just swimming, or sports, too?"

"Mostly surfing," Ichigo couldn't help smiling, tilting his head back while imagining his latest visit to the beach near his house. "There's just something about gliding on the water that.." There was no way to describe it, Ichigo realized and he shrugged. "I know this sounds typical, but it just makes me feel so free."

The both of them grew quiet, Grimmjow wondering what that must have felt like for Ichigo. He wasn't big on outdoor hobbies lately but he did have some experience with what the tangerine spoke about. When Grimmjow was in college he'd spent quite a few days down on the shore during breaks. Some of his best memories were made there, so he could see why Ichigo had such a passion for it.

Ichigo could hear Nnoitra and Shinji talking excitedly behind him and smiled at the knowledge that his friends were having fun. Nnoitra was loud and kind of an asshole, but Ichigo figured he didn't have much room to talk since he was attracted to Grimmjow, who wasn't all that different. Now that he really thought about it, though, Shiro was the same way. All three men were particularly sarcastic and loud, and here Ichigo and his friends were, falling all over themselves for them.

Ichigo shook his head at his own thoughts and started when the power kicked on. The ride shuddered a bit before slowly rocking forward and back.

"Here we go!" Shinji shouted above the excitement in the cart, and random people hooted in response, arms lifting in the air while their hammer and the one next to it started swinging past each other. Eventually, their own half was lifted far enough into the air for the cart to nearly turn upside down. In the next pass, they did flip all the way and then started fluidly circling around and around until screams and hollers pierced the air for the few minutes until the ride slowed to a rough stop.

Ichigo's smile had grown twice over when he walked off, pupils dilated and somewhat of a skip in his walk. The six boys all spent the next few hours wandering from line to line, enjoying each of the rides while the sun dipped lower in the sky. When stomachs started grumbling, Tensa quietly suggested they break for some food. Some were apprehensive because of the effect it might have on their bodies, but after surmising that they'd been on all of the most upsetting rides already, they agreed and headed off toward the concession area.

Ichigo and Shinji split off to find something that didn't look reheated or fried while the rest crowded around a shady hot dog stand, loading their buns with various condiments.

"So?" Shinji asked, swooping closer to link his arm with Ichigo's. They came to a small cart selling sandwiches and filed into line.

"So, what?" Ichigo asked, avoiding smiling for a moment because his face had started to hurt. Despite his expectations of Grimmjow giving him a hard time the entire day, he'd actually gotten along well with the blunet and even found himself laughing just about every other minute at something one of them said. Even Tensa looked to be having fun and every time Ichigo looked over, he'd find that albino guy leering at the brunet or chatting, a genuine smile across both of their faces. It couldn't have been more perfect that the six of them seemed to have a match in the group.

"What do you think about Grimmjow?" Shinji pressed. "I mean you haven't stopped blushing all night and I'm starting to wonder if you're sick or really just that happy!" The blond stepped up to the counter when somebody moved away and ordered a plain turkey sandwich before turning back to Ichigo's unsurprisingly flushed face.

Ichigo mumbled out his own order then the two of them paid and took their food, moving off in the direction they last saw the rest of the group. "He's actually kind of cool. I don't know. I was expecting something..."

"Less?" Shinji offered.

Ichigo thought about that then shook his head. "I kind of had high expectations, but he hasn't been a let down on any of them. Not that I want to assume anything, but I think it's safe to say we'll be going on an actual date after this."

"And what makes you think that?" Grimmjow asked, startling Ichigo into nearly dropping his sandwich and drink.

Ichigo turned to the man behind him, face pale and mouth agape. "I... er." What was he supposed to say to that? They'd been having a good time, right? At least Ichigo had.. Right when he was about to say something about Grimmjow sneaking up on him (he was really starting to get annoyed with that), he was interrupted by one of Grimmjow's friends.

"Hey!" Nnoitra said suddenly, coming up next to Grimmjow and pointing his hotdog toward Ichigo. "Ever notice how much he looks like Shiro when he gets all pale like that?"

Grimmjow scowled and smacked Nnoitra upside the head. "Don't say shit like that or I'll lose interest."

Ichigo glanced between them, then started walking away. They group eventually came to sit around a crooked, dirty looking picnic table. The choices were limited since the rest of the area was packed. It was either the recently used table or the even filthier ground.

Grimmjow plopped down next to the tangerine and stole a sip from his Coke. "Forget to get myself one," he muttered and scooted closer to whisper in Ichigo's ear. "You were right by the way."

Grimmjow's lips were so close, breath fluttering over Ichigo's neck. Ichigo's whole body warmed to the feel of it, of Grimmjow's heat pouring over him and the burn of cyan eyes on the side of his face. What would happen if he turned? If he closed the small, but still so great distance and met Grimmjow half way as he wished he could?

Before Ichigo could decide what he wanted to do or ask what Grimmjow had meant, Shinji burst out into a fit of laughter, drawing everyone's attention over to where Nnoitra sat with a blob of mustard on his nose and a deep scowl on his face.

"M'gonna kick your ass if you do that again," Nnoitra warned, but Shinji only giggled and extended a finger out to flick the yellow condiment from Nnoitra's nose. Shinji popped the finger into his mouth and winked at the lanky man, which had the exact effect that Shinji wanted of making Nnoitra drool.

Ichigo rolled his eyes but he found that his smile had returned even though his cheeks were aching. It was the first time he'd done anything like this in a long time, and he was starting to wonder if it was a mistake not getting out into the dating scene more often. Ichigo loved his friends, but hadn't spent much time outside of the bar with all of them lately. It was really good to see Tensa so happy, blushing and actually talking to someone he hadn't always known. Shinji was a riot as always, but Ichigo could tell that there was something more about the way the blond flirted with the tallest male. He wondered what it would be like if Renji had come with Rukia, though Ichigo knew this sort of thing wasn't ideal for a pregnant woman. As for Renji, well he didn't go out with the guys all that much since Rukia was getting closer to her due date, which was perfectly understandable.

"Having fun?" Grimmjow grunted, opening his mouth to take the final bite of his overloaded hotdog. He wiped the back of his hand across his mouth and glanced over at Ichigo.

Ichigo nodded, looking down to pick a particularly mushy tomato out of his sandwich. "Yeah, I really am," he said softly, wiggling his legs excitedly beneath the table until Grimmjow's left knee pressed against his right thigh. Ichigo looked up and met Grimmjow's gaze, a blush stubbornly flooding his face no matter how hard he tried to fight it. He swallowed and fixed his eyes down onto his food. If Grimmjow kept looking at him like that, he was going to do something stupid or impulsive and he wasn't sure either of them were ready for that yet.

Darkness was just about setting in. Tensa glanced off to the side, idly chewing on a fry while thinking to himself. "We should go on the Ferris wheel," he said calmly and the rest at the table raised their head to one of the few comments the brunet had said to the group all night. Mostly he had been whispering to Shiro or avoiding the albino's lecherous stares.

"Good idea," Ichigo agreed. When they were done with their food, the six of them got up and ambled sluggishly off toward said ride. As the time came to board the two-seater swing style seats, Grimmjow slid in first and Ichigo scooted in next to him, then sat anxiously while waiting for the ride to start, other than the slow circling they did to board others.

Grimmjow tilted his head back and sighed, wondering why he was enjoying himself so damn much. The night hadn't felt anything like a job, not even a bit, and he was surprisingly glad about that fact. In the past Grimmjow took pride in his dedication, which meant he was hard wired to each assignment with little other interest in anything. Today had felt different. Ichigo was just so... Grimmjow snorted lightly enough that Ichigo didn't notice. He didn't even have words for what the tangerine did to him.

Maybe he was fucking gay after all if he was liking it so much. Or bisexual, or whatever the heck it was called. Grimmjow felt his shoulders tense as he wondered what exactly that meant, if it meant anything at all, and if he would have to make any changes because of it. His Adam's apple bobbed while he swallowed anxiously, his throat suddenly feeling parched.

Ichigo glanced over at Grimmjow. The blunet looked stressed, worried even, and it seemed completely unnatural on the guy. Rubbing his hands out over his jeans to wipe the sweat away, Ichigo then curled up his fingers into fists and fought the urge to reach out. It wasn't a date, right? So he really shouldn't...but Grimmjow just looked so wound up.

Unfurling the fingers of his left hand, Ichigo reached out slowly, watching Grimmjow's face while his closed eyes twitched. Slowly and gently, Ichigo let his hand come to rest over the back of Grimmjow's but just about yanked it away when Grimmjow started at the touch.

A cyan eye peeked open, Grimmjow's chest lifting into a deep inward breath. He saw Ichigo hesitate, but the tangerine held his ground. Grimmjow smiled and turned his hand around so that the palm faced up, letting Ichigo's fingers lace with his own. This kid and his blushing were seriously going to be his undoing. Grimmjow let out a relieved sigh and shook his head. It was silly how much he'd been stressing and all Ichigo had to do was make the first move to calm his nerves. It was new for him, being on the passive side.

…that was going to have to change.

The Ferris wheel jolted into action and Grimmjow opened his eyes fully to stare out at the carnival while they were lifted in a backward, circular path.

Ichigo could hear Shinji laughing in the seat positioned below him and smiled, glancing over to see that Grimmjow was much more relaxed than a moment ago. His blue eyes glittered with reflections from lights around the area and Ichigo had to stop himself from launching into the blunet's lap to get a closer look. Instead, he settled for scooting a few inches closer and after a moment of indecision, let his head fall on Grimmjow's shoulder.

For a moment, Ichigo was concerned because Grimmjow pulled his hand away from his own, but then he felt an arm resting over his shoulder and Grimmjow's other hand came over to wrap around his again.

Grimmjow decided he might as well dive in if he was going off the big, gay deep end of the pool tonight. At least giving in to the romance of the moment might bring Ichigo to a more trusting place in what he wasn't even sure was an actual relationship. His lips twitched as soft spikes of Ichigo's orange hair brushed against his face and he sighed, reclosing his eyes to enjoy the feel of a warm body against his own. It had been a while since Grimmjow had been with anyone outside of what was required for work, and he wasn't ever required to do much more than chastely kiss or touch a target to warm them up to talking a little more.

Something about Ichigo's hand in his own and the way the tangerine fit perfectly against his body made Grimmjow feel sick and pleased all at once. He was okay with it, _too_ okay with it. Nnoitra and Shiro would make fun of him if they saw him right now, even if they were in similar situations in the carts above and below his own. Ichigo squeezed his hand, letting out another contented breath and Grimmjow blew out his own, watching Ichigo's hair flutter because of it.

When the big wheel came to a stop, Grimmjow lazily pulled his arm back from around Ichigo and watched as Ichigo slowly leaned away and stood up. Their hands came unlinked and Grimmjow frowned, telling himself inwardly to get the hell over it. He followed Ichigo off of the ride and out to meet with the rest of the group.

Shinji was leaning against Nnoitra, both arms wrapped around the man's slim waist while he yawned against his chest. "Tired," Shinji mumbled. Nnoitra brought him closer and patted his head.

"Nights not even half way over," the giant said with a grunt, ruffling Shinji's hair so that the blond scoffed and pulled away to rearrange it.

Ichigo bit his lip, hoping he wasn't blushing like some sort of virgin. The warmth from Grimmjow's hand still lingered on his skin. He looked over to see Tensa and Shiro came walking away from the ride to join their small semi-circle. The brunet had two very telling pink marks on his cheeks and his eyes were glazed, hair somewhat of a mess. Ichigo couldn't help but wonder what the hell that creepy albino was doing to corrupt his poor friend.

Then Ichigo had to remind himself that Tensa was a big boy and could handle himself. Literally, thanks to Zan's training back when they were both in their pre-teens. Ichigo smiled at the memory of early morning karate lessons with the older man. Zan was always a little harder on Ichigo than his own son. Not that Tensa needed it; he was a real natural with anything he learned.

"Are you ready to go home, Shin?" Ichigo asked, noting the way Shinji's eyes drooped and his frame slumped as it leaned into Nnoitra, his hair back to its perfected state.

Shinji mumbled an agreement, much to the dismay of both Grimmjow and Nnoitra. Shiro didn't bother to respond, having taken up a spot just behind Tensa to whisper something most likely filthy into the young brunet's ear. Ichigo frowned at the sight and looked back over to Grimmjow. "I'm their ride home, so..."

Grimmjow scowled, the day had been much too short. His eyes flicked over to Nnoitra and then Shiro while trying to figure out how he could get a little more time with the tangerine. "Why don't you have one a them take your car home and I'll give you a lift," he suggested in a low enough voice that the others didn't pay any mind.

Ichigo's brows dipped as he wondered what Grimmjow was up to. "It would be a lot easier if-"

"Just ask," Grimmjow insisted.

Ichigo sighed. "Okay," He moved over to Shinji, prying the blond off of Nnoitra for a moment to speak to him alone. Shinji slumped against the newly offered shoulder and let Ichigo pull him away.

Ichigo wrapped a supporting arm around his friend and took them far enough that the others couldn't hear. "Look, I don't really feel right asking this, but can you maybe take Tensa home in my truck? You can stay at my house tonight if you want. I think I'm just going to...uh, see how this goes."

Shinji's eyes brightened and he grinned, bringing Ichigo into a close hug. "I'm so glad you found someone, Ichi," he whispered, squeezing him for a moment before pulling back. "I'll see you when you get home, kay?"

Ichigo thanked Shinji at least three different times while they headed back toward the group who had started to shuffle toward the exit.

Nnoitra looked over his shoulder at Ichigo and Shinji coming back. The boys were hand in hand and standing much too close for his preference. When Shinji split from Ichigo and came back to hang on his side, Nnoitra curled a lip and looked down into pleading, honey colored eyes. "What's up with you two anyway?"

"We're just friends," Shinji answered, lifting a finger to push a thin lock of hair from Nnoitra's face, revealing the wide band of cloth rested over his left eye. "It's not anything you should worry about," he said reassuringly, smiling when Nnoitra grunted his acceptance of the answer. The two wandered off toward Nnoitra's SUV, saying their goodbyes as Shiro and Tensa did the same.

Ichigo waited for Shinji and Nnoitra to part before handing the blond his keys and thanking him one more time. Shinji waved him off and gestured over Ichigo's shoulder at the blue-haired man behind him. Ichigo turned around to see Grimmjow leaned up against his car, one finger held out to circle the chain of his keys around it while he waited. Just like a scene from one of those old movies Shinji made him watch. Only Ichigo wasn't a teenaged girl in a dress.

"Are you coming or what?" Grimmjow said gruffly. His eyes darted toward the sliver of Ichigo's hips that showed from beneath his white shirt. Unable to resist, he licked his lips and let his eyes slowly drag up to Ichigo's face. "Not going to wait all night."

Ichigo walked over, telling himself not to run as he wanted to, and was taken aback when Grimmjow opened the passenger door for him to get in. He stood there for a moment, staring at the blunet until Grimmjow snorted and left him there, walking around to his side of the car.

"I try to do something nice and you look at me like you're stupid," Grimmjow muttered, yanking his door open and dropping into the warm, padded seat.

Ichigo shook out of his momentary daze and sat down next to Grimmjow, pulling his door shut carefully and buckling up. "So are you just going to drive me home?"

Grimmjow didn't respond for a bit, flicking through the channels on the radio when he started the car. After a moment, he growled and switched it off. A phone was pulled from his pocket and hooked it up to the deck, and Grimmjow sifted through the media center for the right playlist. When he had it all set up, he looked over to Ichigo and smiled. "I don't know. What do you want to do?"

Low, bass filled beats surrounded them and Ichigo studied the look on Grimmjow's face. "I..." A chilling vocal spilled from the speakers, and Ichigo's voice croaked to a stop while goose bumps rippled across his arms. "Holy shit," he muttered under his breath.

"Heh, I know what you mean," Grimmjow turned to look behind him, bracing a hand on Ichigo's seat to back out of the space, then took them out out of the parking lot. He made a left instead of a right, going in the opposite direction of Ichigo's house.

"Where are we-?" Ichigo stared to say slowly.

"Just relax; I'll get you home in a bit."

Ichigo sighed and closed his eyes, trying to calm his breathing while the music entranced them both. He had honestly expected Shinji to say no about him driving off with this guy who was basically a stranger. After their day together and all of the quick bonding they seemed to do, Ichigo realized he shouldn't have been concerned. Shinji's profession was to meet and talk to strangers, flirt with them to raise their self-esteem and so on. The blond always had a good judge of character, so the fact that he approved of Ichigo going off with Grimmjow meant a lot and eased any doubts he might have had.

Before he knew it, Ichigo felt the engine hum to a stop and then the music was gone. Slitting his eyes open to peek at Grimmjow, Ichigo felt his stomach flip at the smile that met his eyes. His chest tightened and hands pressed into his pockets while he sank against the seat in some lame attempt to hide his reaction.

"Want some ice cream? My treat," Grimmjow offered, chuckling when Ichigo nodded sheepishly.

Ichigo looked out the windshield at the brightly lit Dairy Queen sign. It wasn't the sort of place you could go inside to eat at, just a small booth in the wall that had a couple of tables set up outside. Ichigo opened his car door, following the blunet toward the counter.

Grimmjow had the urge to stuff a cigarette in his mouth, but restrained it, knowing he'd have something else to occupy himself with soon and he didn't want to have Ichigo questioning the weird habit. He gazed up at the backlit menu before him to see what the place had to offer. Before even scanning the entire sign, Grimmjow smirked and looked back down at the woman behind the counter. "I'll have a strawberry sundae, please."

Off to the side, Ichigo pondered over the menu, shifting to one foot while lifting the other to scratch the inside of his leg. "Is it alright if I get a malt?" he asked when Grimmjow glanced over at him for his order.

Grimmjow shrugged. "Whatever you want."

"Chocolate banana then," Ichigo responded with a half tilted smile, then nearly lost balance when Grimmjow cracked a wide grin. "Actually…" Ichigo's eyes darted up toward the sign and he frowned at his indecision. "Can I change that to a Butterfinger Blizzard?"

"Sure can," the woman at the register said and she quickly changed the order before scurrying off to make their treats.

Grimmjow studied him, stepping closer. "Do you always change your mind like that, or can you not think straight around me?"

Ichigo crossed his arms without a reply, thoughts already on other things. He wondered how much time he would have with Grimmjow before he was brought home and thought about what the blunet said back at the carnival_. _What was he 'right' about?

"Oi! I'm talking to you," Grimmjow said, raising his voice and stepping closer.

"Uh, what?" Ichigo looked up at Grimmjow, eyes wide with confusion. Had Grimmjow just been talking to him?

Grimmjow opened his mouth to respond, but a cheery voice called out behind them and he turned to see that it was the woman from before holding out their orders.

"One Butterfinger Blizzard and a Strawberry Sundae?" A flurry of too-quick blinks and an almost inaudible giggle accompanied the question.

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes at how obvious the woman was, Grimmjow nodded and took his sundae as Ichigo came over to grab his blizzard. They chose one of the tables and sat across from each other, both growing silent as they ate.

Ichigo twirled the spoon in his ice cream, thoughtful for a moment before raising his head. "So was all of this just an elaborate plan to get in my pants, or are you actually interested in me?" Shocked, and not entirely sure why he'd said that out loud, Ichigo stuffed a big bite into his mouth in hopes of keeping it from happening again.

Grimmjow snorted around a spoonful of his own ice cream and pulled the utensil back, licking his lips. The kid sure did have a mouth on him. A really nice one, matter of fact. Heck, he may never admit it, but Grimmjow couldn't help imagining how those lips would look wrapped tightly around- Grimmjow crossed his legs beneath the table and cleared his throat. Just the way Ichigo sucked the ice cream off of his spoon was lewd. If that sort of thinking so soon was wrong, he didn't care.

The blunet slurped up another big bite of his sundae before dropping his spoon and setting both elbows on the table, fixing Ichigo with an intense stare. "Do you think I would have brought you out instead of just taking you home if all I wanted was your ass?" It took a massive amount of trained control for Grimmjow not to wince at his own words. As much as he'd been cool with going out with Ichigo tonight and holding hands, thinking about taking him in the ass was still- just, no. Not yet, anyway. Again, he wondered what the hell he was doing.

"You would if you were trying to butter me up," Ichigo said, then clamped his mouth shut and sighed at his own failure at self-control. What was it about Grimmjow that made him think things so hard that they flew from his mouth?

"Well that's not it, so quit your whining," Grimmjow murmured, lifting his spoon again to finish off his ice cream. "Anyway, aren't you supposed to be proving to me that I wanted you or something?"

"I thought this was about you proving that you didn't," Ichigo pointed out. "Which you've obviously failed at."

"Failed? How so?" Grimmjow tilted his head, turning the spoon over and licking the last bits of vanilla from the curve of it. Two could play at the teasing game Ichigo seemed to be unwittingly playing in.

Ichigo gaped for a moment then reined in his composure visibly. "Well... I mean we held hands, right?"

"You held my hand," Grimmjow corrected.

"What! You held my hand back, and what about your arm around my shoulder?" Ichigo's cheeks flared, eyes filling with that incorrigible light.

Grimmjow chuckled and tossed his empty bowl in a trash can a few feet away. Shoving the spoon back in his mouth and speaking over it, he was glad for the distraction for his teeth and tongue. "I guess you've got a point there, kid."

With a roll of his eyes Ichigo rose off the bench, stomping over to the trash bin and hurling his empty cup in along with his spoon. "I'm not a kid, and I'm sick of you denying..." Ichigo faltered. He couldn't exactly say feelings, but what else was there? "...stuff." _Yeah, good one._ Ichigo sighed. He thought about going back to the car, but Grimmjow was his ride so there wasn't any escaping that heated glare being directed at the side of his face.

"What is it that you think I'm denying, _Ich-i-go__?_" Grimmjow sounded out his name sarcastically, moving to stand in front of Ichigo while reaching out to put his hands on either of his shoulders. Their eyes met and Ichigo started to back away, but was held still by Grimmjow's tightening grip.

"Let me go," Ichigo growled.

"Answer my question and I will."

"Fine," Ichigo huffed and raised his eyes above the line of Grimmjow's hair to avoid the embarrassment of seeing his reaction. "You like me, that's what I think."

Grimmjow's lips twisted upward and he leaned closer, forcing Ichigo's gaze to meet his own. "Want to know what I think?"

Ichigo shook his head, biting his cheek in effort to keep from gasping. He really _did_ want to know, but Grimmjow didn't have to know that, and he was sure he was going to hear it anyway.

"You like me," Grimmjow said in a secretive tone, little wrinkles forming under his eyes as his smile grew.

Ichigo couldn't help but notice how Grimmjow's eyes stood out more than ever in the waning light. Impossibly bright blue eyelashes brushed tanned cheeks with each languorous blink and Ichigo swallowed thickly, holding his breath.

Rough fingers trickled down from Ichigo's shoulders over his arms and came to a stop short of his hands. Grimmjow's thumbs each rested on the inner part of Ichigo's wrists, rubbing gently enough for Ichigo to feel his eyes drooping from the randomly comforting gesture.

"_You_ like _me_, Ichigo," Grimmjow repeated. "I can tell by the way you're trembling."

Ichigo drew in a breath then wrenched his arms away. Unable to find the right words, he just stared off into the sky, wrists cold from where Grimmjow had held them. "So what if I do?" he said distantly, not meeting Grimmjow's curious stare. "It doesn't really matter if I was wrong about how you feel."

Ichigo frowned at his own self-defeat in Grimmjow's silence, then felt his heart leap when he spotted what looked like it could be a star. The shining light blinked then started moving off to the left and Ichigo closed his eyes. Just another helicopter or plane.

"What if you weren't wrong?" Grimmjow said, startling Ichigo after a few minutes of silence. "About me liking you."

Ichigo turned to see Grimmjow standing by his side, head lifted to the sky, eyes searching. A gentle wind ruffled smooth, blue locks, and Ichigo longed to reach out to them. "Was I?" he asked. Surely he wasn't imagining it. Grimmjow reacted to him just as he reacted to the blunet for most of the day.

Grimmjow turned, and for a moment, Ichigo could almost _see_ Grimmjow's answer in his face, and could practically feel the words forming on his lips. Then, a feeling cold as ice slid into his gut when Grimmjow's response came out as "Who knows?"

Grimmjow left him there with that, heading back toward his car and opening the door to take a seat.

Ichigo had tried not to show his disappointment, but it was clear as the tangerine dragged himself back to the car, silently taking up a seat next to Grimmjow and keeping his face turned away to stare out the window. Maybe his hopes were so high that he'd deluded himself into thinking there was a connection.

Grimmjow turned the key in the ignition and pulled away from the Dairy Queen, gritting his teeth and wondering why he'd been such an ass.

"Where do you live?" Grimmjow asked, trying hard not to scowl at the depressed kid next to him. What the hell was he thinking answering like that? He'd meant to say yes, he liked Ichigo, but the words came out all wrong when he opened his mouth. The stupid tangerine really was messing him up. Just one big orange mental block on his natural flow. It was fucking _annoying_.

Ichigo didn't turn to him when explaining where he lived and fell back into silence. He traced a finger over his knee and kept his eyes shut.

For the entire half hour ride, neither of them spoke, and eventually, Grimmjow dialed up the music to drown out the miserable silence.

When they arrived at Ichigo's home, a surprisingly modest place for someone with such a wealthy family, Grimmjow switched off his car in the driveway and stared over at Ichigo's crestfallen face. Before the tangerine could rush out of the car and disappear inside his house, Grimmjow unbuckled his seatbelt and stepped out, moving to wait on Ichigo. He considered opening the door for the other boy but figured he'd just get another glare or stupid look.

Ichigo frowned at him from inside the car and eventually pushed his door open and slipped out. "You didn't have to-"

"Shut up."

"..."

They walked toward the door in silence. Ichigo searched for his keys in his back pocket only to remember that Shinji had taken them when he took the truck. Standing awkwardly in front of the door, Ichigo sighed and turned toward Grimmjow. "So-"

"Are you free next weekend?" Grimmjow blurted, biting his cheek ,_ that_ had been an impulse he wasn't expecting. He knew that he had to keep Ichigo engaged for the job, but what came out of his mouth was more like desperation than obligation.

Stupid. Stupid._ Stupid_.

Ichigo lifted his face to see Grimmjow's eyes narrowing at him. "Y-yeah. Wh-"

"Let's do something then," Grimmjow cut off again, rolling his eyes at the way Ichigo stammered in response. "You had a good time today, right? So did I."

Ichigo blanched. "But you said you didn't like me."

"I said 'who knows' which doesn't mean I don't like you," the blunet replied with somewhat of a defeated tone.

Confused, Ichigo took out his phone and blinked at the backlight when he hit the unlock button. He wasn't sure what he meant to do with it. Call Shinji to open the door, maybe. "Is it actually going to be a date this time?"

Grimmjow shifted, staring at Ichigo uncertainly. It looked like he was trying to decide something a _lot_ more difficult than if it was a date or not. "Do you want it to be?"

Ichigo sighed. "Not if you're going to be like _that_ the whole time."

"Fine, then it's a fucking date. Fuck!" Grimmjow spoke a little too loudly considering the time of night, but didn't seem too concerned.

For about a second, Ichigo brightened a bit.. and then smacked a hand over his face. "Next weekend is Shinji's birthday so I have do something with him."

"I thought you said you were free..." Grimmjow looked impatient, like he might leave at any moment as Ichigo considered his options.

"I am...technically. You know what? I can figure something out. I'll call you in a few days when I have a solid plan?"

"You're going to need my number," Grimmjow chided, snagging the phone out of Ichigo's hands and sifting through the menus to add a new contact. When he handed the phone back over, Ichigo took it and swallowed when their fingers touched.

Grimmjow pulled away, grinning at Ichigo who always seemed to fail at hiding the cute blush over his lightly freckled cheeks. If he was _really_ straight, then what was up with the growing impulse to touch Ichigo's face and feel the warm skin under his fingers? Was 'curiosity' stretching it?

The two of them continued to stare silently until Grimmjow's hand strayed outward, reaching to curl one of his fingers beneath Ichigo's chin. He stepped closer, noting the way Ichigo sucked in a nervous breath, and the blunet smiled dangerously. Grimmjow tipped his head forward enough to hear Ichigo whine faintly as he leaned in, and noses brushed together before their lips met in a teasingly soft touch.

Ichigo's breath left him in a rush and he lifted both of his arms, wrapping them around Grimmjow's neck, hands locking behind his head and pulling him in for the kiss he craved.

Grimmjow growled out a moan when Ichigo leaned in, their lips dragging together before separating and meeting again. Ichigo was softer...so much softer than Grimmjow would have expected from a guy and he tasted good, ridiculously so. Unsure about where to put his hands on a guy and berating himself for losing his cool in the moment, Grimmjow flailed a bit before letting one hand take a spot on Ichigo's waist, the other moving from beneath Ichigo's chin to slide gently over his face. His lips parted and Ichigo's tongue nudged against the tiny gap.

Ichigo's pulse was racing, his skin was on fire and heat coiled in his belly. He tilted his head and let his eyes roll back while Grimmjow's tongue came out to meet his own. All his doubts from earlier melted away, triumph mingling with arousal while he fought to keep himself cool under the intense feeling of having this man's mouth on his own. A man he'd been thinking about for a little over a week and suspected he might never even speak to, much less do this.

The moment was short lived but worth the effort. Grimmjow pulled back with his chest heaving, clearing his throat. Ichigo gave him a strange look, frowning when he realized that Grimmjow was turning a little pale.

"That was...a-are you okay?"

Grimmjow swallowed and shook his head. His brows pushed together, eyes glued the ground as he sorted his scattered thoughts. _What the hell was that?_ He just kissed a fucking guy! Grimmjow shook his head again slowly then glanced back up to find Ichigo looking concerned. Okay, he needed to chill out and stop making the tangerine worry. It wasn't _that_ big of a deal.

"I didn't do something wrong, did I?" Ichigo asked with a break in his voice and a frown turned his sweet lips downward.

"No...shit," Grimmjow rolled his eyes at his wonderfully eloquent arrangement of words. "I just haven't, uh-" He lifted a hand to his neck, scratching it and then moving it around to the back, rubbing the feverish skin furiously while he tried to get his mouth to work again. "I'm not really into guys."

"What did you-..?" Formerly filled with panic, Ichigo eyes suddenly spiked with anger, narrowing at the man in front of him. "Are you saying that you're just **fucking** with—_hnff_"

Grimmjow buried both hands in Ichigo's hair, pressing their lips together bruisingly and swallowing the weak noise Ichigo produced again from the back of his throat. The tangerines body was tense for a long moment before finally melting into Grimmjow's arms.

Ichigo grabbed at the blunet's clingy shirt and let his eyes fall half way shut, darkening as Grimmjow deepened the kiss and removed any doubt that he was genuinely interested. Fleeting, uncertain questions had danced past Ichigo's subconscious before being stamped down. He was actually _touching_ Grimmjow's chest and then wrapping his arms around to grab at his back.

The strong hands in Ichigo's hair tightened, jerking his head back for sapphire eyes to burn into his own, lidded and heavy with lust. Then Grimmjow returned to the kiss, tasting, demanding more with the slick and agile movements of his tongue.

Somehow, Ichigo had the brain cells left over to note how very interesting it was that Grimmjow tasted like strawberries.

When the kiss drew to a final close, their foreheads tapped together lightly and hands slowed to a stop, grasping without wanting to let go. Ichigo muttered a breathy sound of content that broke the vow of silence and brought them both into a quiet bout of chuckles.

Grimmjow's hands released from Ichigo's hair, dropping to his sides while he shot Ichigo's stunned face an ardent, widening smile.

"We're going to have to talk about...you know, eventually," Ichigo mentioned, gaining back some small amount of his clarity.

Grimmjow nodded, swaying forward then pausing with his lips next to Ichigo's cheek. "Call me," he whispered, and pecked Ichigo's face before walking back to his car with even more of a swagger in his step than the start of the day.

Ichigo stood at the foot of his door, watching Grimmjow get back in his car. The blunet glanced over at him after starting it up and then drove away.

"That was hot!" a voice said, and Ichigo nearly tripped over himself, turning back toward the door.

"Shinji! Ho-how long were you watching?"

Shinji grinned madly, pulling the door further open to allow Ichigo in. "Long enough to know that lover boy supposedly isn't gay!" He bounced down the hallway, humming a made up tune about Ichigo and Grimmjow under his breath.

"You're...strangely happy," Ichigo said warily, still feeling as if he were walking in a dream while he followed the blond back toward his room. "Oh yeah, you and that Noa..Nai..."

"Nnoitra!" Shinji finished, peeking his head back out of Ichigo's room to grab his hand and yank him inside.

"Yeah, him. You two hit it off pretty well, huh?" Ichigo stripped off his sweater and tossed it carelessly on the floor, sending his tee-shirt with it before collapsing face first on his bed.

Shinji came up behind Ichigo and clucked his tongue. "Didn't even take off your shoes," He pulled them off for Ichigo and smiled to himself. "You weren't the only one that got kissed tonight, Ichi," Shinji informed, laughing happily when Ichigo sat back up and gave him a look of shock.

"You two kissed? But- when?"

"On the Ferris wheel, dummy. I think Tensa got one too. Didn't you and Grimmjow..?"

"No, ours was just...well, you saw," Ichigo blushed. It wasn't even worth hiding with Shinji around.

"Oh yes I did," Shinji walked out of the room with Ichigo's shoes, placing them at the front door before coming back and dropping onto the bed next to his friend. "So how was he? 'Cause all I can say is this: Nnoitra's tongue is just like his body..." Shinji sighed. "Long, and sexy and perfect."

"All of that from a kiss, huh?" Ichigo smirked. "I guess I feel the same about mine with Grimmjow. I just can't believe he's never been with a guy. He seemed so cool about it all day, I never would have guessed."

"How long have I been telling you that you could make a straight guy gay? How looong?" Shinji crooned, bending over to drop his head into Ichigo's lap. "I knew it was only a matter of time."

"Maybe he was just bi or something," Ichigo reasoned.

"Ichi, he said he's 'not into guys', I don't know how much more straight one gets."

"Exactly how long were you watching us anyway?" Ichigo let a hand fall down to push some of Shinji's hair away from his cheek.

Shinji laughed with a lazy shrug. "So what are we going to do for my birthday? And don't try to pretend you don't want to invite Grimmjow because I'm sure as hell inviting Nnoitra."

Ichigo shook his head, unsure about what would be extravagant enough for his friend. "What do you want to do?"

"Hm," Shinji turned on his side, biting a fingernail while he thought. "Let's go out to Hueco Mundo! If you could borrow your fathers yacht and take us all out there, it would be so perfect, Ichi. We could even camp out for a night, it'd be amazing!"

Ichigo lay back on the bed, lifting a hand to his face and feeling like his heart had finally stopped racing. "Sure, if that's what you want. I'll talk to my dad tomorrow, but he always says yes when I ask."

"That's because you use it more than he does," Shinji pointed out, sitting up and moving to lie next to Ichigo. "Do you think Nnoitra is 'straight' too?" he wondered aloud, stretching his arms up above his head while kicking his feet off the side of the bed.

"Nah," Ichigo yawned and stretched, too. "He was pretty open about being into you today. Besides, wasn't he the one to kiss you?"

"Yeah, but didn't Grimmjow kiss you first?'

Ichigo bit his lip and spoke over it. "That's debatable."

"He grabbed you and laid one on you. Twice."

Ichigo rolled his eyes, but he knew the blond was right. The day had turned out much better than he ever could have imagined. Over the last few days, it had started to become a big problem for him, wondering if he was building up too much expectation and excitement for something that had started out rocky and may just as well end the same way. _If_ it ever even started to begin with.

Grimmjow seemed to Ichigo, at first, like a loose cannon, and he knew that even if it did turn out that Grimmjow liked him, the fact that he denied it in the beginning may have been a key in on a much more serious problem. Grimmjow being straight before they met was much more serious than Ichigo would have guessed.

It did worry Ichigo that the sexuality thing would become a stress point, but Ichigo was still riding the high from his first kiss with him and felt like he could get through anything with Grimmjow if connection between them was going to be so damned strong.

Shinji flipped on his side and mumbled something Ichigo couldn't hear, lips smacking and fingers closing around the blankets before him. Ichigo smiled, helping Shinji turn so he laid correctly in the bed, then settled down next to him, closing his eyes and thinking of Grimmjow with a little bit of confidence that they might just be together after all.

* * *

><p>Grimmjow sat down at the small table in his back yard while popping the top on a beer, finding a weird sense of satisfaction when the bottle hissed and the metal cap fell away. "So what's this all about?" he asked, leaning back in the outdoor lounge chair while staring across the table at Starrk, and behind him, Ulquiorra.<p>

Starrk looked to be perfectly fine with sipping a beer and bullshitting away the rest of the night, but Ulquiorra dropped a hand on the brunet's shoulder, squeezing it to urge him on to the conversation they'd had earlier about Grimmjow.

Starrk sighed, setting down his drink before being allowed to take the first swallow. "Some of us are concerned that you and a few of the others are getting too cozy with the people involved in your current job," Starrk let Grimmjow absorb that for a moment, if only to allow himself a second to taste the sweet beverage calling out to him from the table. With a satisfied sigh, he set the bottle back down and met Grimmjow's narrowed eyes. "I- _we_ just wanted to be clear that the relationships you are building are strictly for the purpose of finding out what it is that the subject has to hide."

Here Grimmjow had been looking forward to a nice, relaxing night with the guys. He realized it was dumb to think that to begin with if Ulquiorra was involved, but always held hope that finding a way to liquor up the pale man might make him a tad more ...agreeable.

"Where's all this coming from?" Grimmjow asked cryptically, not wanting to dip too far into the topic before he had all the information that the two other men had heard.

Starrk sat back further in his seat and brought one of his legs up to rest over the knee of the other. "There was some talk about a date night you had a few days ago including two other members of the team and yourself."

"Yeah, and? It's not like I haven't gone out with them before while they were on the job," The other two looked at him for a long moment and Grimmjow rolled his eyes. "Is it suddenly a problem for me to take my assignment seriously and want to get close enough to them to actually find something out?"

Starrk frowned around the mouth of his bottle. He honestly didn't give a crap what Grimmjow did, but Ulquiorra's pressure over the last two days had made him break and confront Grimmjow in hopes that the guy would finally leave him alone. "We just want you to keep in mind that you will have to put these connections behind you once the job is done."

"Look, I _know_ that. What is up with everyone doubting me these days? I know what I'm doing, so get off my back!" Grimmjow took a long swallow from his beer before standing up and angrily escorting the other two men out of the otherwise calming comfort of his home. "Next time you want to stop by and screw up my evening, call ahead so I can reject you before you come," Grimmjow shut the door in their faces and growled at the empty silence that followed.

It wasn't uncommon for the other men in Seven to tease him about his position, claiming he was their boss, Sosuke's lap cat and that he'd do anything for the man if it meant he kept his job. Well, that just wasn't true. When Grimmjow was recruited for Seven, he'd made it very clear to Sosuke and his right hand men that he had limits, and if he was ever asked to overstep even one of them, he'd be out without a single glance back. Sosuke had agreed to those terms without complaint, even further extending himself by promising that if he ever did cross Grimmjow or go back on the deal, the blunet would be free to walk without incident.

At the time, Grimmjow had liked the sound of the deal, and had come to be rather proud of himself for laying down the law before being pulled into a job that could at times get pretty sketchy, especially when he had to be armed.

It had been hard for Grimmjow to accept a weapon as something he was required to carry whenever on the job, but he'd gotten used to having it on him with time, and even felt a strange sense of anxiety when removing it from his side. Thinking of the loaded gun, Grimmjow stepped away from the door after locking it and reached a hand behind him to where he'd shoved the weapon in the back of his pants; being too lazy to don a holster correctly because he was under the assumption he'd be home all day. With two fingers, he lifted the weapon carefully from where it was tucked under his belt and walked over to the couch, dropping into it with the gun resting on his thigh.

Grimmjow hated the thing and despised what it represented, but understood its purpose all the same. Not killing anyone had been another part of his deal with Sosuke and he hated to think about what would have to happen for that to change. Despite the deal, Sosuke had insisted Grimmjow take ownership of at least one weapon while also acquiring some training in various hand to hand combat styles. Grimmjow had been all over that idea, wanting anything but to have to resort to putting a bullet in somebody. Somehow guns just felt cheap, unfair in a fight between two men. He liked to use his hands, to beat someone with his fists, arms and feet. Even more so when they had it coming.

Another of Grimmjow's demands had been that he never have to force himself on anyone. It just wasn't his style, and while he preferred never to have to sleep with someone on the job, he hadn't made that a top priority when listing the things he'd rather not do. Just no rape, and Sosuke had been more than eager to agree with that. Grimmjow had found that surprising, even if the man did claim he had morals and that they were very important to him.

Sosuke Aizen was smooth, collected and ever calm. He never misspoke and always thought ahead, even further than Grimmjow did in most situations, which was disorienting at times. The man was a professional in every sense, and always outwardly kind, using his eloquence to convey his intent without actually revealing the true meaning of his words. Even as quick a talker as Grimmjow was, as convincing and entrancing, Sosuke was better, and that fact scared Grimmjow to no end. Some men were scary with weapons, deadly even, but Sosuke was twice that with just his words.

A ring from the doorbell startled Grimmjow, making him glad for the fact that the safety for his gun was on as he tucked it back into his pants and stepped lazily over to the door. The ends of his jeans folded under his bare feet and scraped as he walked without much haste at all. After squinting through the peep hole, Grimmjow considered not answering, but changed his mind when a loud voice announced that they weren't leaving until Grimmjow opened up and would start singing if necessary. Grimmjow didn't doubt the claim for a second, and he could live nine lifetimes happily without ever having to hear Nnoitra's screeching singing voice.

When Grimmjow unlocked the door, Nnoitra barged right in, heading straight for the fridge while mumbling something about worthless traditions and spoiled brats.

"Why don't you come in?" Grimmjow said, following Nnoitra into the kitchen and watching him take out random foods to throw together into a snack. "What's your problem?"

Nnoitra looked up from the tomato he was inspecting, wondering if he should chop it up for a sandwich or just take a big bite out of it. He gripped it in his hand a little too tightly and frowned at Grimmjow. "I got a call earlier from Shinji. You remember Ichigo's friend, right?"

Grimmjow nodded, leaning back against the kitchen counter. "'Course."

"Well he dials me up and starts jabbering about some party he's having or some shit. The little fucker was talkin' so fast I missed half of it, and I hate having to ask people to repeat themselves so I was already annoyed," Nnoitra finally chose to cut the tomato up and was wandering around the kitchen, looking for a knife. "So eventually I figure out that he's tryin' to tell me his birthday this weekend and I guess he's inviting all of us to go out on a yacht to some Hu...Huevos place?"

"Doesn't that mean eggs in Spanish?"

"Tch, whatever," Nnoitra shrugged, giving up on his endeavor to seek out a cutting tool and pulling his own knife from a pocket. "I guess we don't really have a choice in going or not since they all have their hearts set on us being there. Not that I mind seeing Shinji all wet and half naked on what he says is an island, but you know how I am about lots of people and shit. Once I agreed to go, he started babbling off all the things he wants as possible gifts, like I'm gonna remember any of that shit. So I tell him that and he gets all bitchy on me like I'm supposed to know what the fuck a flat iron is, or what he needs it for. I mean fuck, we aren't even dating yet, so why do I have to get this fag a gift?" Nnoitra slammed the knife down and pulled two slices of bread from the bag next to him. "He ended up hanging up on me. Talk about being a frickin' queen."

Grimmjow cracked a smile then shook his head, chuckles spilling out before he could help it. "Did you just say you aren't dating _yet_? And since when do you give a damn about stuff like that?" Seeing how good Nnoitra's food looked, Grimmjow came up next to him and started putting together his own sandwich. "Maybe Ulquiorra was right to think we're getting in too deep with these guys."

Nnoitra cocked his head to the side, staring at Grimmjow with his one revealed eye wide as it could go. "You gotta be kidding me."

Grimmjow raised a brow. "What?" He reached out to take Nnoitra's knife, chopping up a few slices of the left over tomato.

"I ran into those guys on my way up here and they gave me some hell too, but the way you just said that…" Nnoitra laughed and shook his head. "Nah."

Grimmjow piled more lettuce onto the cheese and turkey he'd added to his sandwich then grabbed Nnoitra's shoulder. "What the hell are you on about?"

"You like that little berry, don't you?" Nnoitra accused, and got his answer immediately from Grimmjow's expression. "Ha! I never would have guessed. Here I was just kidding about you pretending to be a fag when you were one all along."

"Was _not_," Grimmjow muttered, grabbing a plate for his sandwich before he shuffled away. He wasn't about to let Nnoitra get the best of him again.

"Then how do you explain that night at the carnival, you taking Ichigo out all alone?" Nnoitra stalked behind Grimmjow until they came to the living room and both dipped into firm, but comfortable couches. "Don't tell me that was to get information 'cause I know you aren't close enough to try for that yet."

"Maybe I am. How do you know?" Grimmjow mumbled over the first bite of his food. "Besides, I heard you smooched the blondie up on the Ferris wheel. When'd you become such a romantic?"

"Did you know he's got his tongue pierced?" Nnoitra grinned. "And I'll tell you now, wasn't nothing romantic about that kiss. Was all kinds of sexual though. I'll hand to the kid, he can fuckin' kiss."

Grimmjow leaned forward, squinting at his friend. "Are those stars in your eyes, Nnoi?"

"Fuck you!" Nnoitra shot back with bits of his sandwich flying out over his lap. "Just 'cause I'm trying to get some ass doesn't mean I'm going soft. I'll kick you right in the balls if you say that kind of shit in front of Shinji, too. Last thing I need is him thinking I care or something."

Grimmjow rolled his eyes, returning to his food. Nnoitra was obviously in denial, but so was he.

What the fuck was happening to them anyway?

* * *

><p><strong><span>AN:**

Okay… Things are about to get a little more serious. I promise that I'll get into Tensa and Shiro's characters soon. I really like the idea of those two as a pair, it just makes sense to me. Anyone else? Ah, it's okay. I know everyone's just chomping at the bit for the sex ;_;

In closing, here's a question for my readers: Do you like knowing if a chapter will include smut before reading it (as sort of a warning), or do you prefer the mystery? Just curious. I don't want to be posting a huge spoiler at the beginning of a chapter if nobody cares, but I don't anyone finding themselves in a compromising NSFW situation either so... lol.


	3. Humility

Alright I've got two notes, but I'll try to make 'em quick so you can get to the chapter as soon as possible.

First, please, please take a look at my profile and find the link to Blackstorm's fanart '_Cocktail n Strawberry'_ inspired by this story. It is most definitely worth a minute of your time (or an hour if you're an Ichigo lover like me). Don't forget to check out her gallery while you're there! She's been a gigantic inspiration to my writing, so I feel she deserves the affection~

Second, in order to keep from spoiling anything down the road with warnings by chapter, I'm going to put a **blanket warning** in effect for anything beyond this point. Basically, this is just a reminder that this story is rated M for a reason, with that reason being mature sexual content. I hope that this is a good compromise for everyone D: I've gone back and made the warnings in the first chapter a bit more clear for this reason.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Three: Humility.<strong>

**OR**

**A king & his boat.**

* * *

><p>Finished stretching, Grimmjow padded toward the center of the empty room and rolled his neck around, swinging his arms at his sides casually. He'd been waiting for Shiro for twenty minutes and was starting to wonder if the guy would even show, which was stupid because Grimmjow was at the albino's house. It wasn't as though Shiro had far to travel.<p>

Not a moment later, Shiro stepped through the doorway wearing one of his borderline sinister grins. Grimmjow couldn't help but return the expression. Something about sparring sessions with the albino made Grimmjow prefer him over any other partner. Shiro didn't hold back as much as he should have in a friendly match, just as Grimmjow liked it, and Shiro's determination to win was just the right sort of motivation Grimmjow needed for practice like this.

Unwillingly finding his eyes narrowing as he scanned Shiro's clothing, Grimmjow dropped his swinging arms and yanked on the strings to his baby blue gym shorts, tightening them.

"If your strategy was to blind me before we start, I think it's working," Grimmjow said, eyeing Shiro's pale, white sweatpants and matching wife beater. It wouldn't have killed the guy to wear some black to tone down the UV output. Grimmjow was considering putting some sunblock on and they were _inside_.

"Save it for the match, Kitten," Shiro said, sauntering over.

Grimmjow's lips quirked again. "Does that mean you're ready, or did you need to stretch?"

"I'm ready," Shiro's arms came up for defense as Grimmjow started pacing in front of him. Gold and blue sets of eyes hardened, and fists clenched as silence engulfed the room.

Just as they were about ready to start, music cut through the quiet and Shiro groaned at the tune.

"Fuckin' techno shit, that must be your phone," the albino said, rolling his eyes. "Why didn't you turn that thing off?"

"Because I'm waiting on a call, and in case you forgot, I'm on a job right now so I can't just turn it off," Grimmjow jogged toward the edge of the room and snatched the phone out of his duffle. "Shit, it's Ichigo."

"Ain't that good?"

"Yeah, but not with you around," Grimmjow grumbled, "Just keep your mouth shut, it's better that he thinks I'm alone," Grimmjow flicked his phone open and immediately switched it on speaker with the volume all the way up. Sending a threatening glare at the albino, Grimmjow moved back toward the man and lifted his arms, both of them eyeing each other carefully as they circled, considering their first hits.

"Hey, Grimmjow?" Ichigo's voice called, and Grimmjow responded with a half-assed greeting. A quick jab was sent out at Shiro's ribs, but easily blocked. Grimmjow shrugged, he didn't expect to make a hit so soon.

"What's going on?" Grimmjow inquired, taking a step back as Shiro moved in for an attack. Shiro backed off at the last second and turned on one foot, sending a kick to Grimmjow's unprotected side. Grimmjow sidestepped and gave Shiro's outstretched leg a push, knocking the albino off balance. Barely catching himself, Shiro opened his mouth to curse, but Grimmjow shook his head to cut him off.

"Well, I called about our…date. I'm assuming you still wanted to do that," Ichigo explained, obviously hesitant but determined to sound otherwise.

Grimmjow tried not to smile quite as big as he wanted to. Instead, he sent a couple of quick hits at Shiro that had the other backing up and smacking his hands away with practiced blocks. Seeing that he wasn't going to progress, Grimmjow retreated. "Alright, well what's the deal then?" he asked, raising his voice so that the tangerine could hear him clearly.

Ichigo gave a quick sigh. It was obvious that Grimmjow was up to something. "If you're busy-"

"I'm not," Grimmjow interrupted, shaking his head when Shiro sent a low sweep at his feet. Grimmjow nimbly hopped over the sweeping leg, then reached out and grabbed at Shiro's arm which had been held out for balance. Grimmjow whipped the albino around in preparation to throw him to the floor, but Shiro spun out of Grimmjow's grip and backed out of range to avoid any further attacks.

"Keep going," the blunet said, both to his sparring partner and the frustrated tangerine on the phone. Grimmjow made a cocky beckoning gesture to Shiro in emphasis.

Shiro raised a brow and came forward. Tipping his head down, he threw out two punches at Grimmjow's torso as a distraction for a following kick to Grimmjow's thigh that sent the blunet stumbling backward, nearly falling on his ass. Grimmjow snorted and righted himself, rubbing a hand across his upper lip and jogging back in.

"Since this weekend is Shinji's birthday," Ichigo adjusted the phone and cleared his throat. "We were thinking of spending Saturday and Sunday out on this island we know of. It's not big or anything but it's pretty fun. Think you'd want to come? I know Nnoitra already told Shinji he'd go. I'm not sure about Shiro.." Ichigo trailed off, and after a moment with no response, he grew curious. "Grimmjow, what are you doing?"

Grimmjow took a deep breath to steady his voice, but Shiro took the chance to charge forward. Shiro shoved Grimmjow's shoulder and then aimed a punch for his gut. Recognizing the move, Grimmjow grabbed Shiro's forearm pushed it back toward him, forcing the albino to back up.

"I'm working out," Grimmjow explained casually, "That a problem?"

"Are you by yourself? Because you sound kind of.."

"Out of breath? I told you, kid. I'm working here, not taking a leisurely stroll about the house."

Ichigo frowned on the other end, but he had to admit that all the heavy breathing Grimmjow was doing had the predictable effect of making his pants tight. Adjusting his work slacks, Ichigo reminded himself of the reason he'd called in the first place.

"So you want me to go to this island with you," Grimmjow repeated and narrowly missed an attack at his face. Shiro's eyes flashed and Grimmjow straightened his back. That look meant the albino was warmed up enough to start fighting seriously. Normally, Grimmjow loved when that happened, but it wasn't good news if his mind was somewhere else.

"Yeah, I'll be borrowing a boat from my dad to take out. All you should need is a change of clothes, a sleeping bag and probably.. something to wear in the water. It should be warm enough out there to swim."

Grimmjow grinned and nodded to himself. "Sure, sounds like a good time."

"O-Okay!" Ichigo nearly shouted, then closed his eyes. That had been just a_ little_ too enthusiastic. Or maybe it was all of the grunting Grimmjow was doing that made his thoughts misfire and come out a mess. What kind of work out was Grimmjow even doing?

"You never explained what you're doing working in a bar, Ichigo," Grimmjow wanted to keep the tangerine talking. Maybe he could get some information without him realizing it.

"You never asked," Ichigo said incredulously. It was just then that he realized Grimmjow was the first person not to blurt out a load of questions once they knew who he was, or rather who his father was. The questions were almost as annoying as the fruit nicknames.

"Well, now I am asking. How come you aren't relaxing on the beach all day like you could be?"

"I…don't know," There was a hint hesitance in Ichigo's voice again, forcing Grimmjow to focus on it for too long, and he paid the price in the form of a playful slap to the cheek from a greatly amused Shiro.

"Working at Benihime's keeps me busy," Ichigo said, shrugging to himself. "Besides, I don't like relying on my father's money."

"Ah, I get that," Grimmjow backed up in effort to avoid Shiro's next predictable flurry of smacks. Shiro was pretty good when given a weapon, mostly running on adrenaline and intimidation, but with hand to hand fights like this, Grimmjow, tended to have the advantage. Shiro was still decent though, and it was clear that he could use Grimmjow's distraction against him.

"No offense, but I doubt you get it," Ichigo took on a woebegone _I never asked to be wealthy_ tone that Grimmjow found all too familiar. "The attention and looks I get when people hear my last name... Actually, I'm surprised you haven't asked this already."

Grimmjow snorted. "I understand more than you think," he said, thinking back on his own family experience. Or he _was_ until Shiro paused and screwed up his face. Grimmjow ignored the look and motioned the albino closer.

"Do you?" Ichigo asked, sounding interested, if not a bit skeptical.

"My parents..," Grimmjow trailed off to fend off Shiro's next assault and waited until the albino backed off to continue. "They inherited a decent amount of property.. amongst other things. Whenever I hear from them, they give me the whole spiel. '_Let us get you this and buy you that." _or _"How about taking this job opportunity we heard about in fuckass nowhere._' It's like they think I need their help or something. Pisses me off."

"Annoying, isn't it?" Ichigo questioned, and Grimmjow snickered in response.

"Incredibly."

"So, um.."

"Hn?" Grimmjow studied Shiro in Ichigo's silence. The blunet should have been on the floor by now. The fact that he wasn't meant the albino was playing with him or too interested in the conversation to focus.

"About that thing you said after the carnival.."

Grimmjow had to strain to hear Ichigo's voice from across the room. "Remind me which thing?"

"The one about you not being into guys... before me," Ichigo said softly.

Grimmjow considered grabbing the phone and shutting speaker off, but Shiro shook his head. _Damn it_. "Maybe now isn't the best time," he said, hoping the tangerine would let it rest.

"Look, I know it's scary and all but-"

"That's not the issue," Grimmjow snapped, avoiding the humored glance Shiro gave him despite the danger of looking away from the scrappy albino. "Let's just talk about this face to face."

"But when-" Ichigo started again.

"_Please_," Grimmjow growled, rolling his eyes when Shiro laughed and had to cover his mouth. Grimmjow was already regretting telling Ichigo that little fact.

"Okay…"

Grimmjow _hated_ that Ichigo's defeated tone made his gut twist. It also earned him a jab in the ribs from Shiro for lack of attention. As soon as Grimmjow got off the phone, the pasty bastard was going to pay.

"Well, I guess I should let you go," Ichigo said, as if reading his mind.

"What? You're not even going to ask what I'm wearing?" Grimmjow smirked at the following silence and used Shiro's surprise at his words to pull the albino into a headlock.

"I imagine.." Ichigo gulped, "You're just wearing your workout.. stuff," There he went, filling in his thoughts with _stuff_ again.

"So you imagined, huh?" Grimmjow strained to speak evenly as he held Shiro to his chest with the arm around his neck. "What if I said I was naked?" Grimmjow wiped his forehead with a free hand. "And all sweaty?" As he spoke, Grimmjow wiped the sweaty hand on Shiro's shirt, causing the albino to struggle and mutter a small sound of disgust.

"Sh..shut up! You're just playing with me!"

"Oh, I would love to play with you," Grimmjow purred, throwing Shiro to the side when the very uninterested albino shivered in his arms.

"I..I'm going now," Ichigo said roughly.

Grimmjow grinned. "Okay, Ichigo. See you in a few days," Signaling Shiro to stop, Grimmjow walked back over to his phone to be sure the line was dead.

"What was _that_ about?" Shiro asked, glaring at Grimmjow's turned back.

"What? I like getting the kid all flustered. You just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"I didn't mean _that_, but I'm going to pretend I didn't feel you getting hard when you had me in a lock," Shiro said, swatting at his backside frantically. "What I mean is, since when do you ever get personal on a job?" _Or ever, for that matter_. "That's the first I've ever heard of your parents and we've worked together for how long?"

"First of all, there's nothing to talk about, so it's not relevant," Grimmjow said, making his way back toward the albino with measured steps. "And second, conversation is more believable when it's real. I thought you might have learned that by now. Or maybe you need a refresher course on manipulation 101?"

"Hell no," Shiro shook his head and pointed at the blunet. "Even_ I_ know it's weird for you to talk about family, so don't make this about me!"

"Too bad, 'cause that's exactly…" Grimmjow raised his arms to show he was ready to continue. "..what I'm about to do," Before Shiro could put up a defense, Grimmjow swept his feet from beneath him and quickly dropped a knee on the albino's chest to pin him down. "Now," he said, catching his breath with Shiro struggling beneath him. "Find something else to talk about."

Shiro raised his hands and laughed airily. "Fair enough!"

Grimmjow removed his knee and Shiro hopped up, straightening his shirt.

"Let's talk about _Ichigo_, then," the albino taunted.

Grimmjow furrowed his brow, but didn't respond, so Shiro carried on.

"You know, he's got a pretty cute voice. I bet he sounds real good in bed," Shiro dodged a swipe at his arm and took a step back. "He seems like a screamer if you ask me… I could be wrong though."

Still silent, Grimmjow eyed Shiro's leg. Shiro started moving in response, making himself a harder target.

"I know, maybe he's the submissive type! All you gotta do is get him naked and he'll just _beg_ for it," Shiro cackled and took a step forward, reaching for Grimmjow's chest as the blunet stood still, fists tightening. Shiro just barely got a grip on Grimmjow's shirt when the blunet threw a shoulder back and moved out of the way. It wasn't much, but Shiro was obviously planning something.

"No comment? That's a soft spot, huh?" Shiro asked, hopping from foot to foot.

_Silence. _Just one more push.

"So do you ever wonder, Grimmjow? How it'll be fucking a guy? Or did you just figure you could imagine it was a girl?"

Grimmjow's body stiffened, a low growl emitting from parted lips. "That's rich coming from the guy that picked Ichigo's girly looking friend."

"Asshole! Ten ain't girly!" Shiro shouted, launching at the brunet.

_Too easy_, Grimmjow thought, grabbing Shiro's shoulders as he charged in. Grimmjow used Shiro's oncoming momentum to throw him to the ground behind him. Turning to stare at the lump of white, the blunet slowly shook his head. Shiro must have though he found a weapon, something to throw Grimmjow off. Luckily, Grimmjow wasn't dumb enough to fall for that sort of thing.

"'Ten'?" Grimmjow laughed loudly down at his friend as he stepped closer. "How sweet! Snow White finally found her prince charming!"

Enraged, Shiro grabbed Grimmjow's ankle and yanked it forward, knocking the blunet on his ass. Then Shiro whipped something out in a blur of glaring black, pressing it hard into the closest part of Grimmjow he could reach, his hip.

"You _know_ my fuckin' name, Grimmjow," Shiro jabbed Grimmjow's hip with the pistol and narrowed his eyes. "And so long as you use it, I won't start thinking about letting _Getsuga_ here blow holes in you, got it?"

After a moment of silence, Grimmjow just laughed, dropping his head back onto the floor. "What an idiot. I can't believe you were packin' at a time like this!"

"Always," Shiro spat, tucking the weapon away as he got to his feet. "You best remember that."

Grimmjow shook his head and stood up. "Sure, _Shirosaki_, I'll remember," Grabbing his bag, the blunet headed toward the door. "Better make sure lil' Ten doesn't see that gun or else you'll be _sent _packin', if you know what I mean."

"I could say the same for you!" Shiro yelled after him.

Grimmjow snickered, making his way out of Shiro's house. As if he'd be dumb enough to get caught.

_Only rookies get caught._

* * *

><p><em>A couple of days later.<em>

"Are you sure this is going to be enough?" Renji knelt on the dock, hands delved into a large cooler, arranging a couple bags of ice around a rectangular cake.

Shinji was kind enough to be very, very clear about exactly what he wanted on his birthday, all the way down to the last detail, and the others found that they had little choice but to comply. That unfortunately meant that they had to find some way to make an ice cream cake last the entire day in a cooler on a yacht until they made it to their destination.

Hueco Mundo was a tiny island that had been nicknamed such a couple of years back when rumors started sprouting up about the little spot of land being haunted. Renji and Ichigo had personally spent a bunch of nights there back in college just to see if the rumors were true, but had never experienced more than a couple of hangovers or fuzzy memories in result. Now, years later, the place had become somewhat of a traditional hang out for close friends and sometimes family, for occasions when they wanted to get away or let off some steam.

Ichigo came up behind Renji, toes wiggling in his sandals as he studied the Styrofoam container and wondered how long it was going to hold up. "I think that's about as good as we're going to get," he said. "Thanks for sorting that out."

Renji smiled, lifting the lid for the cooler and pressing it on firmly before standing back up. "I'm just glad I was able to come. It's kind of a shame that Rukia can't spend Shinji's birthday with us, but I'm sort of glad to have a break from her."

"Still crawling all over your back about every little thing?" Ichigo could only imagine what a disaster it would be to have the off balanced pregnant woman on a boat in the heat of the day.

Renji nodded with a sigh and bent to pick up the cooler and load it onto the yacht. It would have been much easier if Shinji had picked a cake small enough to fit into the mini fridge on deck, but of course, he wanted something large and elaborate. Renji rolled his eyes just remembering the list of demands that the blond had printed out and given copies of to everyone.

With every one of his friends birthday's that passed him by, Renji felt a little older than the bunch. He was the only one in the close circle that was married, and by far the only one with a child on the way. Some of the girls he knew from college and high school had children, but none of them were close enough anymore to want to call up. He hardly had time to be calling people anyway, and it was a miracle he was able to come out for the weekend. Had it not been a birthday, Renji would have been at work trying to earn what little he could before Rukia went into labor.

Footsteps clapped up the dock and both redheads turned to see Tensa coming toward them with his jeans rolled up off his ankles and the sleeves of his hoodie pulled back to mid-forearm. Ichigo would never understand how Tensa didn't boil in clothes like that every day but never asked, trusting that his friend had his reasons. The brunet looked tired with his eyelids half shut, and Ichigo could still see small bits of sleep clinging to the corners of his eyes.

Ichigo felt bad for waking everybody up so early to prepare for leaving. Most of the stuff he had to get ready couldn't be done even a whole day ahead so they had to do it right before leaving. There was food to prepare and store, decorations to arrange inside the cabin, beverages to stock up on and keep cool. Then there was the task of obtaining enough sleeping bags and blankets and other materials for staying the night in an outdoor area. Ichigo was used to these trips so it was easy enough to figure out what was needed, but having the chaos of Shinji's birthday on top of it all had his nerves in a knot.

"Do you guys need any help?" Tensa offered, lifting a strong cup of coffee to his lips while he squinted under the already blazing sun.

Just another hour was left before they took off. At that point, Ichigo could finally relax and enjoy the sounds of soothing water around him, breathe in the salty air and give his friend the birthday weekend he deserved (and demanded) to have. His shoulders drooped with relief after hearing Tensa's question and he set about finding a job for the brunet to do.

Renji circled the yacht itself, tying off ropes and then climbing on board to check that they had enough fuel. Ichigo had asked him to be driver for the day, promising that he'd cover it on the way back the next day, and Renji was kind enough to agree. None of the others knew how to steer or operate the yacht properly and Ichigo knew that any microscopic ding or miniscule detail being out of place next time his father paid _Engetsu_ a visit would be just another kick in his ass. Or a foot to his face if the old goat got a drop on him.

Half an hour later, Shinji arrived at the thin arm of an already grumpy Nnoitra. Shortly afterward came Shiro, then Grimmjow. Ichigo had just finished locating a safe spot for his backpack with Shinji's gift in it when the teal haired man came walking up the long dock toward the yacht. Ichigo couldn't help but smile at the man and how handsome he looked.

Grimmjow had on khaki cargo shorts and a clingy, white shirt, sandals, sunglasses amidst his hair and a duffle over his shoulder. Best of all, he wore a big grin and Ichigo found himself drawn toward the man, nearly tripping off the boat ramp onto the dock while he shuffled over to meet him. Ichigo's mind was a wreck, as was his hair, which he hadn't bothered to touch since he rolled out of bed around seven in the morning.

Shinji had called early to remind Ichigo that he had 'lots of things to do!' before hanging back up and no doubt going back to sleep. Somehow, Ichigo had worked up the motivation to untangle himself from his twisted covers and get the long day started. He hardly had time for a shower before loading things into his truck and hurrying down to the dock, but he knew all of it would be worth it when they got out to the island and everyone was enjoying Shinji's weekend birthday celebration.

"Mornin'," Grimmjow murmured, tipping his head in Ichigo's direction.

Ichigo cast a quick glance at his watch, feeling like he'd been awake too long for it to still be considered morning. "Yeah, I guess it is," he said. "Hope you slept well. I doubt you'll be doing much of that this weekend."

"Oh?" Grimmjow smirked and tilted his head to the side. "And why is that, Ichigo?"

"Ever slept on a beach with four or five guys around, one of them celebrating a birthday?"

Grimmjow shrugged lazily. "Can't say I have. I take it there's going to be beer?"

"Yeah, some. Not a lot," Ichigo checked over his shoulder to see if his blond friend was out of earshot. "Shinji is kind of a light weight, so having a lot of alcohol around isn't the best idea. Especially when he's wanting to celebrate something," Ichigo lowered his voice further when Grimmjow cocked a brow at him. "Last year he got completely wasted and I spent the two days afterwards taking care of him and trying to figure out what he meant by 'He looked just like you' and 'I'm sorry'."

Grimmjow hummed in amusement, peering over at said blond. "Did you ever find out?"

Ichigo shook his head and turned to the side. "I'm not sure if he even remembers, but if it was bothering him, I'd know. I think it was just an honest mistake."

Shiro wandered over to Grimmjow and Ichigo, greeting them with a too-loud "Yo" and he let out a wild laugh that made them both wince.

"Look at you with that big ol' crown of messy, golden hair!" Shiro exclaimed, slapping a hand on Ichigo's shoulder while ruffling his hair with the other.

"It's _orange_," Ichigo protested, pouting when Shiro only continued to rub the disheveled mess on his head.

"Whatever, dude. Think I'll start callin' you King, since you've got that crown on all the time and all," Shiro laughed again and shuffled off. Before Ichigo could think up a good insult, Renji walked up next to him and let out an exaggerated sigh. Both Ichigo and Grimmjow gave him a questioning glance.

"I think the cake is going to be fine after all," Renji explained. "And everything else is good to go, so we can leave whenever you want."

"Alright," Ichigo mumbled, sifting fingers through his hair to properly mess it up. "I think we're all here," He glanced over to see Shinji bouncing on Nnoitra's lap on a bench, the latter looking much less grumpy and Shinji appearing resilient as ever. Tensa and Shiro were chatting near the stairs up to yacht, so that covered everyone with Grimmjow and Renji next to him.

"Wait..I didn't know I was going to be a third wheel," Renji complained, spotting that he was the only inconsistency in the group. Renji lifted his hands to tighten the bandana around his head and held a scowl.

"Technically, you're the seventh wheel," Tensa chipped in, coming up behind the redhead with a tiny smirk. Renji growled in response, turning around to start up the engine as everyone else filed on deck.

Shinji dragged Nnoitra up the stairs and pulled him to the very top level of the yacht, gasping excitedly when Renji set the craft in motion and jetted them slowly away from the dock. Deep, glugging sounds came from water churning beneath them and Shinji made a noise dangerously close to a squeal. He turned to find Ichigo behind him and he threw his arms around the tangerines neck, hopping on the balls of his feet. "This is going to be so fun!"

Ichigo laughed and nodded, prying Shinji away when the hug became a little uncomfortable. "Does anyone want a drink?" he offered, feeling like he already needed a break from excitement. A couple of people voiced their need for refreshments and Ichigo went back down stairs to pick the right things out of the little fridge.

"Pretty nice boat you got here."

Ichigo whirled around and found himself face to face with Grimmjow, lips just a hairsbreadth apart. He took a deep, shaky breath to settle himself. "It-it's my fathers. He lets us take it out sometimes," Ichigo blinked slowly at Grimmjow as his hand awkwardly closed the refrigerator door the rest of the way behind his back.

"How nice of him," Grimmjow remarked, reaching out to pat down one of the stray hairs that stood straight up on Ichigo's head. He moved back when he saw that he'd accomplished the goal of startling Ichigo, and smirked to himself.

Grimmjow stole one of the cans of Sprite from the tangerine and then felt the boat lurch when Renji picked up the speed as they got far enough away from the dock. Wind sifted through his hair as his head turned to search for a comfortable seat. Ichigo slid by him and disappeared upstairs to deliver the drinks before coming back down. Grimmjow had seated himself near the bow of the yacht, so Ichigo joined him and sat down, stretching his legs out and crossing them at the ankles.

Grimmjow sucked down half his Sprite as he thought about what to say. He noticed that Ichigo looked considerably calm, leaning back and looking out at the water with the breeze tousling his bright, soft spikes. At the bar and even at the carnival, Ichigo hadn't looked so uncaring, always maintaining that permanent scowl. Grimmjow found that he adored the relaxed expression, secretly, of course, but nonetheless, it was very becoming of the kids' features. Grimmjow_ almost_ didn't want to interrupt Ichigo's calm state with a conversation. Almost.

"You really like it out here, don't you?" Grimmjow asked, coming off quiet with the air rushing past them.

Ichigo barely heard him, but perked up at the familiar tone of Grimmjow's voice. He shot the blunet a smirk. "I love the ocean."

"That explains your tan," Grimmjow pointed out, extending a hand to touch one of Ichigo's arms.

Ichigo looked down at Grimmjow's fingers. His bottom lip sucked up between his teeth while his grip tightened around the can in his hand. After little touches like that, Ichigo found it hard to believe that Grimmjow was new to the revelation that he liked guys.

"Yeah," Ichigo said. "Like I said back at the carnival, I spend a lot of time on the beach. Some people think that's why my hair is such a weird shade," Ichigo's mouth twitched, then he closed his eyes. "I could just live on a boat like this," he added dreamily, words being carried away through the air while Grimmjow strained to hear them.

Dropping his hand to the cushioned seat beneath him, Grimmjow scooted himself closer and wrapped his arm around Ichigo's shoulders, tugging him close without saying a word. Ichigo sat rigid for a moment, then let out a sigh and allowed his body to melt into Grimmjow's sturdy chest. He let his eyes flutter shut and his mind gradually closed down.

Another twenty minutes of relative silence passed before the water beneath them started to get choppy. Renji slowed the boat down while still going fast enough to make good progress. Their goal was to make it to Hueco Mundo before it started to get dark, and they were way ahead of schedule, so there was no hurry.

Shinji came down from the top level, smiling when he spotted Ichigo asleep against Grimmjow's chest with a Sprite can loosely hanging from his hand. The blond walked over and sat next to his friend, slipping the can from Ichigo's grip to place it somewhere safer. Then he leaned up against Ichigo's free shoulder, tilting his head to whisper in his ear. "Ichi."

"Mmh..."

Shinji smirked, not noticing that Grimmjow had peeked an eye open and was watching him carefully. "Ichigooo," Shinji beckoned again, letting a hand fall to Ichigo's knee as he leaned harder into his friend.

Ichigo finally stirred, bolting upright and nearly injuring both the blond and Grimmjow in the process. "Wha- huh?" Blood flooded into his face when he spotted both of the men on either side of him giving him strange looks. "What's going on?"

"You fell asleep and it's my birthday!" Shinji complained, taking a grip on Ichigo's wrist and dragging him out of his warm seat to bring him into the cabin beneath the deck.

"Your birthday isn't officially until tomorrow," Ichigo mumbled, but he was ignored by the blond.

"Everybody else is inside or keeping Renji company," Shinji informed, then turned his pointed chin over his shoulder and smiled at Grimmjow. "You should come, too. Nnoi's askin' for you."

Grimmjow grunted, extending out his arms out all the way. He reclined further in the seat, allowing his chest and back to flex, stretch and then relax. "Fine," he muttered mostly to himself and stood up to follow after the two. Grimmjow couldn't help glaring at Shinji's back while he stepped inside, then felt his ears pop when the door shut and closed off the loud sounds of rushing wind and water spraying.

Grimmjow blinked, his eyes slowly adjusting to the dimmer light inside, and he stumbled over to the only free seat in the room. As he sat down, Grimmjow found himself shocked that the cabin space was so big. Two love seat sized couches, a chair and two tables fit in the room, along with a side dresser and what he figured was a bathroom further down. Just how loaded was Ichigo's father anyhow?

"Where...where's my drink?" Ichigo grumbled from his shared seat on one of the small couches, still groggy and wondering where his energy from earlier had gone. Shinji giggled next to him and shot a pleading look at Nnoitra.

"Can you get Ichi and I some drinks, please?" Shinji asked sweetly, both honey colored eyes batting innocently.

Nnoitra rolled his eyes and stood up, pinning Grimmjow with a glare when he heard a chuckle from his direction. They both knew Grimmjow would have done the same for Ichigo, so neither of them took it beyond that.

"So what'd you get me?" Shinji asked, yanking on Ichigo's arm and successfully pulling him out of his half sleepy daze.

"You'll find out later," Ichigo said, covering a yawn with a hand and turning on his side, bringing his legs up to tuck underneath him while dropping his head on Shinji's bony shoulder. "Where are Tensa and that Snow White guy?"

"It's fucking Shiro!" A voice yelled, and Ichigo lifted his head suddenly, glancing around.

Shinji nodded his head toward the bathroom, and Ichigo replied with a silent "Oh," before asking "Is Tensa in there, too?"

Shinji shook his head and pulled Ichigo off the couch, much to the tangerines annoyance. Shinji stole the two Cokes from Nnoitra as soon as he walked in with them, and then led Ichigo out where Renji was, practically melted into the captain's chair with the most bored possible expression on his face. Tensa was seated in the chair next to him with his legs brought up in front of him and crossed, both hands tugging at the strings of his hoodie.

Ichigo smiled at the brunet and shoved him over, stealing part of the seat just before Shinji plopped down in his lap. The three of them chatted about the men in the other room all while Renji wished he wasn't stuck there to hear it, tuning it out as much as he could. It was a long ten minutes of whispers and very unmanly laughter until he spotted a dot out on the horizon and let a relieved grin take over his face.

"Almost there." Renji announced, and the other three looked up to see the stretch land coming into view. It took another ten minutes to get there, and by then everybody had piled outside, gathering their belongings to help Tensa and Shinji load things that had to stay dry into a small, blown up raft. The yacht was too big to anchor close to the shore, so Renji stopped at a safe distance before helping two of the boys lower the raft down into the water.

Tensa and Shinji were the first to be pushed away in the raft toward Hueco Mundo, loaded in with the coolers, blankets and other things. Realizing it would take forever to get everyone on shore that way, Shinji cupped a hand to his mouth, shouting to the rest of the men on the boat. "Last one there doesn't get any cake!"

Not even three seconds after Shinji spoke there were five consecutive splashes in the water beside the yacht. Both Shinji and Tensa laughed as Renji, Grimmjow, Nnoitra, Shiro and Ichigo stroked passed them in the water, headed toward the little island.

"Come on, Ichigo!" Shinji shouted, throwing his fists in the air when the tangerine pulled ahead of the rest. Then the blond turned to Tensa and elbowed him gently. "You're not going to cheer for your man?" he asked with a wink.

Tensa shook his head. "He's not really _mine_."

"Yet," Shinji added, cocking his head to the side with a smile. He hadn't expected much, but when Tensa suddenly shot up in the raft, bellowing out an encouraging string of words to Shiro, Shinji considered himself officially shocked. After shaking his head for a moment Shinji joined back in, alternating shouts for Nnoitra and Ichigo.

The two on the raft ended up making it to the beach long after the race had ended, and before they could pull the raft up onto the sand, Shiro tore into the water next to it and plucked Tensa off his feet, spinning him around in his arms as he laughed.

Tensa had turned a consistent, boiling red by the time he was set back down in the shallow water, and by then, Shinji had guessed that Shiro must have won the race. Glancing down the beach, the blond saw Nnoitra collapsed on his back in the sand, long arms and legs spread as far apart as they'd go and eyes clamped shut.

Shinji and Tensa may not have been close enough in the raft to see the winner, but they could tell that Nnoitra had made it to shore last by a huge distance. After helping Tensa secure the raft, Shinji ambled over through the sand to congratulate the man on his loss. Shinji didn't really plan to deprive Nnoitra of cake, but there was no sense telling him that until the time came to eat it.

Renji trudged over to help Shiro and Tensa unload and deflate the raft, reporting how the rest of them placed. After Shiro in first was Ichigo in second, Renji himself in third, Grimmjow fourth and Nnoitra, of course, last. Tensa smiled at the news, giving Renji a friendly pat on the back while the redhead heaved the cooler with the cake in it up into his arms to carry it further inland.

Shinji tossed a wide brimmed, straw hat onto Nnoitra's face when he reached him then straddled the man's legs, sitting down on Nnoitra's thighs. "Are you really that out of shape or just lazy?" Shinji teased.

Nnoitra grunted and was glad for the shade provided by the hat over his eyes. "Grimmjow wasn't that far ahead of me and the bastard cheats."

"Oh," Shinji replied, leaning forward and letting both hands roam over the man's chest. "So you're saying Grimmjow shouldn't get cake?"

"That's what I'm sayin'." Nnoitra repeated and grunted when Shinji's thin fingers twisted one of his nipples. He turned his head to the side so the hat would fall away and locked gazes with the blond. "You sure you wanna start that right now? 'Cause I have no problem flippin' you over right here to take you in front of all your friends."

"Please don't," Grimmjow muttered, ignoring the laughter he got in response as he passed by the two to find Ichigo. When he found him out by the water, Grimmjow saw that the tangerine was calm, staring out at the ocean and observing quietly, no longer searching as he did back at home. Moving up just behind him, Grimmjow gazed out at the view, lifting a hand to shade his eyes from the sinking sun.

"So you let him win, huh?" Grimmjow asked.

Ichigo smiled, realizing Grimmjow was even more observant than he thought. After hearing Tensa shout so boldly for Shiro to win, Ichigo didn't have it in him to steal that victory away. So at the last moment, he held back, allowing the albino to pull ahead and just barely come in first.

"Shiro's over there trying to hide the fact that he's huffing like he's going to die and you aren't even out of breath," Grimmjow added.

Ichigo let his head fall forward, smile stretching a little wider while his eyes slid shut. "You caught me."

Grimmjow smirked then started to turn back, planning to help everyone else set things up, but Ichigo's voice stopped him.

"Are you..." Ichigo reopened his eyes, staring down at the sand coating his toes. "Are you really straight?" He shifted on his feet to further bury them, and looked to the side at Grimmjow's pensive face. "I'd like to know before I start thinking we have something, only to find out that I'm the only one that feels that way."

Grimmjow was silent for a while and dropped into the sand next to Ichigo's feet. "I thought I was," he said, peering up to see Ichigo squatting down next to him. "I don't really know anymore, haven't thought about it too much."

_Understatement of the century._

Of course Grimmjow thought about it. After their kiss on Ichigo's door step, he hadn't been able to distract himself from the questions plaguing his mind. _Was he really interested in men? Did he really feel something for Ichigo? And if not, why had that kiss felt so good?_ Grimmjow wasn't drinking that night, so it wasn't some sort of mistake. Even if it had been, Grimmjow suspected that another kiss would bring all his doubts to an end. He still craved more from Ichigo, and it was a feeling that perplexed him endlessly. It was more of a confusion issue than a fear one.

Ichigo sighed, about to walk off, but Grimmjow stopped him with a hand on his leg. "This is new to me, you know?" He let his hand fall to the sand, sighing. Talking about this sort of thing made Grimmjow feel stupid, and feeling stupid wasn't something Grimmjow did often. He didn't like it. "I've never felt something for a guy before now," The blunet was frowning, but the sincerity was clear in his eyes.

Ichigo couldn't blame Grimmjow for being confused, and though he'd long since gotten over his struggle with his own sexuality, he still remembered what it felt like to realize that he didn't know himself quite as well as he thought. Ichigo just wanted to be sure that Grimmjow wasn't leading him on.

"Alright," Ichigo said, reaching out to take Grimmjow's hand and smiling at his bewildered look. "Just don't be surprised if I kick your ass the moment I find out that you're screwing with me."

Grimmjow nodded and let Ichigo help him up off the sand. The comment had been relieving, because it sounded like Ichigo trusted him, but also complicated. Grimmjow decided not to think on it too much.

Ichigo moved his hand up Grimmjow's arm, watching his fingers drawing over the defined muscles until he reached Grimmjow's shoulder and looked up into his eyes. As much as he loved Grimmjow's fit form, nothing could compare to the entrancing effect Grimmjow's gaze had on him.

"I like you, Grimmjow," Ichigo said, feeling better when the words were out. He didn't want to get all mushy on the guy, but he felt it needed to be said, even if it came out kind of lame.

Grimmjow furrowed his brow, lips pursing together. "I think I've figured out enough to know that I like you," The corner of his mouth pulled into a half grin. "Especially since I enjoyed kissing you so much."

"Is that right?" Ichigo's hand had migrated to the soft hairs at the nape of Grimmjow's neck, fingers twirling within them as he stepped closer. "And if I kissed you this time?"

Grimmjow's eyes flicked to Ichigo's lips and back up to his eyes again. "I wouldn't stop you," Grimmjow was just being honest, but the way it came out made it seem more like a challenge.

"Hm.." Ichigo leaned in, stopping just short of Grimmjow's mouth and looking up into his darkening eyes. "That's good to know," he whispered, then turned back around to head up the beach.

_..What?_

Grimmjow scowled and stomped after Ichigo, balling his fists. "Good to know?" he questioned, raising his voice as Ichigo sped his pace to pull away from him. Grimmjow started to jog, growing further annoyed when Ichigo took off in a run, tearing through the sand and kicking it up for Grimmjow to run through.

Deftly avoiding random sticks or other debris washed up along the beach, Ichigo circled the area the rest of the guys had started setting up camp at. Coolers, bedding and overnight bags were strewn around in a disorganized mess. Ichigo quickly ran behind Shinji and set his hands on his friend's thin shoulders while ducking behind his back.

"Save me!" Ichigo pleaded half seriously, peeking around Shinji's frame to see Grimmjow lumbering over in their direction.

"What the hell did you do?" Shinji asked, cowering backward and bumping into the hiding tangerine. "He looks fucking pissed."

"I think he is," Ichigo pulled Shinji closer, dipping his head to hide his face in the back of the blond's shirt. He wasn't sure if it was the look on Grimmjow's face or the fact that he'd run like a crazy person, but Ichigo couldn't help laughing at the situation, despite how much he feared the safety of his nether regions.

"Ey! Hands off, Strawberry!" Nnoitra shouted, coming back up from the raft with Tensa's acoustic guitar case and another cooler. Shinji may have reassured him that there was nothing going on between them, but Nnoitra still wasn't big on sharing.

"What did you call me?" Ichigo retorted, stepping out from behind Shinji just in time for Grimmjow to smack right into him. The blunet wrapped strong arms around Ichigo's startled body and planted an insistent, wet kiss on his lips without an ounce of shame. It only lasted a moment, but Ichigo's eyes and mouth were all the way open when Grimmjow pulled away.

"That's three to your zero," Grimmjow grumbled and walked over to punch Nnoitra in the arm for calling Ichigo a name he knew the kid didn't like. Then Grimmjow left the three alone, trudging back down the beach, kicking sand up every now and then.

"The fuck?" Nnoitra scowled and dropped the things in his arms down in the sand. "Are you two gonna help us set up, or were you having too much fun playing kiss tag?"

Shinji snickered, watching as Ichigo slowly recovered from the assault. "You were running away from _that_?" he asked quietly, ignoring Nnoitra's question.

"I-I didn't know he was going to do that," Ichigo watched Grimmjow pacing away and felt kind of bad for being such a tease. He wasn't all that sure why he'd run away to begin with, but it felt like the right thing to do and now his heart was racing a mile a minute.

Shinji nodded absently and cast a glance at his watch. "It looks like we have a few more hours until the real party starts," He pointed out a spot where they'd set up the campfire suggested that everybody start moving stuff far enough away from it to be sure nothing would catch fire. Once that was taken care of, Shinji asked for a lighter, (raising an eyebrow when a returning Grimmjow was the one to supply it) and set to starting the fire.

Half an hour later, the group was crowded around the blazing pit, singing out of tune to old Offspring and Green Day songs while Tensa strummed the melodies with his acoustic guitar.

For once, Shiro was quiet for minutes at a time, watching as Tensa played next to him, voice lower than that of everyone else, but Shiro was near enough to hear him flawlessly vocalizing the lyrics.

When midnight rolled around, Shinji busted out the cake and they all sang a heartfelt round of 'Happy Birthday' to him before digging into the half melted treat on paper plates with plastic forks.

"Why don't you play one more for us.." Ichigo suggested, having already finished his cake except for the humongous blob of frosting that he wouldn't even attempt trying to eat. Grimmjow leaned over from next to him and dipped a finger into it, curling it while collecting the white paste and lifting it to his lips. Ichigo watched him distractedly as he lost sight of the question he'd been asking, consciously reminding himself to close his mouth when Grimmjow swallowed and returned to his own cake.

"Yeah, sure," Tensa answered. He set his plate aside and brought the guitar back into his lap, tuning it for a moment then humming while strumming the first few notes of the song that led to the starting lyrics. "I haven't played this one for a while so forgive me if I suck."

As Tensa started up, Shinji swayed, immediately recognizing the song, and both he and Ichigo sang along softly, watching while Tensa lowered his head, hiding his slight blush behind his hair while continuing on.

Soon, the five of them were swaying in time, thumbs held in the air like imaginary lighters and mouths moving quietly while Tensa sang above all of them, threading his fingers over the frets and not missing a note. Near the end, the pace started to build, Tensa's voice rising and falling with the lyrics and then he took a deep breath, belting out the last few lines with Shinji, Renji and Ichigo chipping in as the song came to a close.

After a few more repeated lines, the song ended and cheers and clapping rang out in the night. Even Grimmjow and Nnoitra joined in, surprised by Tensa's talent.

Shiro was staring with glazed eyes at the brunet, fingers twitching at the thought of pouncing the young man and crushing him into the sand with his own special form of affection. He restrained himself, but only because he could tell how much Tensa treasured his instrument.

Nnoitra had collapsed on a sleeping bag near the middle of the song, the soothing music lulling him towards sleep, and Shinji lay down next to him, pawing at his shirt and mumbling something in his ear. The rest of them talked amongst themselves until Nnoitra suddenly bolted off his blanket. He hoisted Shinji up in his arms and then carried the blond away, muttering something about giving him a 'proper birthday gift'.

Ichigo shook his head as the two went off into the dark. No doubt, they wouldn't be returning for a while.

Tensa was happily speaking with Shiro, both of them looking much more comfortable together than the night at the carnival. Renji was laid out on his stomach, still nibbling at forkfuls of cake while he stared at his phone, awaiting a return text message from Rukia and cursing below his breath at the lack of reception bars.

After all of the stress of sorting the day out, Ichigo finally felt completely at ease, and was only further relaxed when one of Grimmjow's big hands slid up the back of his shirt, grazing across the small of his back so gently that he shivered and closed his eyes.

"Wanna take a walk?" Grimmjow murmured quietly, not wanting to disturb the other three.

Ichigo tilted his head toward Grimmjow, catching the unreadable look he had. He didn't answer, but stood up, taking Grimmjow's forearm in his hand and leading him away from the heat of the fire. It was still warm further away, but with the dark came soft breezes that gave either of them little chills until they adjusted.

The sand was cool beneath their feet and the warm, beachy scent filled the air around them as they walked. Ichigo led them down the beach in the opposite direction Shinji and Nnoitra had gone, roaming closer to where water washed over sand. He stopped feet away from the shore to sit on his butt with legs extended out straight, groaning as his backside connected with the slightly sinking ground. Grimmjow sat next to him, still thinking to himself while Ichigo's eyes gravitated to the sky.

Ichigo sighed happily at the wide blanket of shining stars and a vivid, white moon above them. "Gorgeous," he breathed, wishing he could take the vision back home with him to gaze upon every night. If he had the choice, he'd live out there forever, but Ichigo knew it was just a dream.

"Your friend sure has a voice on him," Grimmjow remarked, finding that the silence was making him anxious. He leaned back on both hands, cringing as the sand stuck to his skin.

"Yeah, he's always been talented like that. He learned to play from his father, I think."

Grimmjow needed something to talk about and was having a hard time thinking of anything. It wasn't as if he could chat with Ichigo about all of the people he'd scammed or deceived. He didn't have any specific hobbies that weren't work related, and now Ichigo had met all of his closest friends. What else was there to do besides talk about Ichigo?

Grimmjow had to learn about what was going on in the tangerine's life at some point. It just bothered him that for the first time on a so-called job assignment, he had little motivation to get to the goal of finding out what information he was there for. Not to mention, he didn't even know where to start or what it was that he should ask. Not even how to recognize the thing when he heard it, or how relative his findings would be to Sosuke's interests. The whole job situation just sucked as a whole. But there were definitely perks, ones Grimmjow hadn't expected.

After being away from the tangerine for a couple of days, Grimmjow had realized, surprisingly, that he wasn't all that nervous about what else might happen between them. Possibly because all they'd done was kiss, but even just being around Ichigo had a draw on Grimmjow. Ichigo's attitude and general aura was just… addictive. The tangerine somehow managed to be both upbeat and stubborn, but the combination made for a very appealing overall personality.

Grimmjow had never been big on the bubbly types of girls. He found himself rolling his eyes in their presence a lot of the time, and put up with more than he felt he should in most cases. It was part of the reason he'd taken to his ex. She wasn't the typical girly type, though she did have her beauty. Nelliel was, at the beginning, a very sweet and rare find, in Grimmjow's opinion. It was too bad that it had all turned out to be bullshit.

"You and Tensa are close, I take it?" Grimmjow asked, pushing down the dreary thoughts of his past. The answer to his question was obvious enough, but it was all he could come up with.

"Well.. he and I have sort of a long history. Most of it is boring, but the gist of it is that we came out together at our high school. I've known him since I was nine or ten and we were friends right away," Ichigo chuckled. "He was even quieter back then, if you can believe that."

"It's not too surprising," Grimmjow commented. He sat forward, spreading his legs to draw in the sand between them while Ichigo continued to talk.

"He and I went through a lot together after we came out. It was crazy lucky now that I think about it, that both of us were gay and had each other. Maybe we fed off each other's vibes somehow," A soft shake of his head and Ichigo was laughing again. It was a nice sound, Grimmjow noted.

"I know it doesn't really work that way, but what I'm trying to say is that having Tensa to lean on definitely helped me through that time in my life, to accept myself and who I am. There was a point back then where I felt like he was the only one I could trust or depend on. Sometimes it still feels that way.."

"You don't trust that blond guy? Or Red?" Grimmjow asked, referring to Shinji and Renji.

Ichigo shook his head again. "No, that's not it. I trust them, and they all have their own special things that I really am thankful for. It's just that Tensa...with him I can say anything. I don't have to worry about him judging me or being dramatic. He just accepts me and I do the same for him. It's nice."

"So then you two were never...?"

"Us? No, no," Ichigo waved his hands around with bits of sand from his hands sprinkling everywhere. "He's like a brother. We were never interested in each other that way."

Grimmjow grunted and flicked some sand back at Ichigo in retaliation. "Kind of a shame, if you think about it."

Ichigo brow furrowed, lip curled at the weird thought. "Why do you say that?"

"You two get each other and have a special understanding, you say. So do you think you'll really find that with someone else that you become involved with romantically?" Grimmjow wasn't even sure what he was getting at, but it seemed there was something more to it that he was missing.

"I don't know, I never really thought about it," Ichigo brushed his dirty hands off on his pants distractedly. "It sounds like you're trying to say something to me here."

"Nah," Grimmjow closed his eyes, swaying to the left until his head fell on Ichigo's shoulder; surprising himself with the movement. "I'm just saying."

Ichigo stared at the blue hair suddenly in his face, scowling at it for a moment. He lifted a hand and brushed his fingertips over the strands that tickled his face and decided he liked having Grimmjow there. Is that how Grimmjow had felt on the Ferris wheel? Did his stomach do flips, too?

"Tired?" Ichigo asked.

"More like exhausted."

"Mm, boating tends to have that effect," Ichigo stroked Grimmjow's soft hair, finding that he enjoyed the velvet texture of the smaller bits around Grimmjow's face. "Did you want to rest in my lap?"

Grimmjow lifted his head, giving Ichigo a thankful look and then he slipped down slowly to rest on Ichigo's thighs. He turned to face the sky and stretched out his legs, grimacing when cold sand touched with his back where his shirt was riding up.

Ichigo returned his hands to Grimmjow's hair, finding he couldn't resist the call it had on his instincts; it was soft, like a kitten's fur. Grimmjow didn't seem to mind it either, eyes blinking slowly open and closed while Ichigo's fingers moved along his scalp gently. Ichigo smiled to himself, watching Grimmjow gaze up at the sky, thinking to himself that he could almost see the stars reflected in the brilliant blue of his irises.

Tranquil swishing sounds from the water drew Grimmjow's eyelids closed, and Ichigo's hand wandered from his hair down along his chest. Ichigo traced random patterns over the blunet's shirt, not watching his own movements, but drawing blindly with his head titled back. He could faintly hear Grimmjow's soft exhales, but lost track of them as his eye sight blurred and he slipped off into a half conscious state. Ichigo's hand gradually wandered down, fingers dragging along the taut skin over Grimmjow's abdomen and straying further. Two of his fingers teased at the still damp hem of Grimmjow's shorts.

Grimmjow, highly aware of Ichigo's movements, kept his eyes shut to keep them from rolling around and resisted the urge to bite his lip. Ichigo may not have noticed, but his hand was definitely pushing the line.

When Ichigo's smoothly gliding hand retracted just enough to feather over one of his hips, Grimmjow sucked in a breath and his thighs twitched with heat flooding to his lower half. On any other day, Grimmjow might have had more control, but something about Ichigo's touch.. It wasn't needy or pushy like others generally were. Grimmjow was actually quite sure that Ichigo didn't realize what he was doing, which was a first. Just about every person he'd allowed to touch him in the past was seemingly in a hurry to get into his pants; which wasn't all that surprising, just annoying at times. He had other nice qualities after all! Never mind that they weren't easy to find under all the sarcasm and ego.

When it seemed like an eternity of Ichigo's unaware teasing had passed, Grimmjow finally spoke up, thinking he had nothing to lose.

"If you're going to keep doing that with your hand, can you move it a little further south?"

Ichigo froze, eyes snapping to where his palm laid over Grimmjow's hip. The tips of his fingers were buried into Grimmjow's pants to rest over the skin beneath his waistband. Ichigo started to remove it, feeling foolish for not even noticing the movements of his own body, but Grimmjow held the hand close, pressing it harder into his hip with his head tilting to look up in Ichigo's eyes.

"I didn't even.." Ichigo blushed and his hand twitched to move again, but Grimmjow held it tightly in place. "Wait, did I-?" Ichigo blinked and took a breath. "Are you getting hard?"

Grimmjow growled and rolled his eyes. "Wouldn't you be if I had my hands all over you?"

Ichigo had to laugh at that. "Yeah, I guess I would," His arm relaxed a little, not trying to pull away anymore, but not moving further either.

"Good. Now if you don't mind.." Grimmjow swallowed, still looking up into Ichigo's eyes.

"Are you sure about this?" Ichigo didn't know how comfortable Grimmjow might be with going further, but if he was the one suggesting it.. and his eyes were that telling, darkened shade of blue.

"Didn't I just tell you I wanted it?"

"Alright.."

Grimmjow grinned, tightening his grip around Ichigo's arm, meeting the indignant look in eyes before licking his lips and letting go. "I'm waiting."

"Pushy!" Ichigo shook his head, but let his hand slip further down into Grimmjow's pants, confirming his suspicion by running two fingers along the side of Grimmjow's rigid length. Just the light touch had Grimmjow sighing in relief, but he hadn't even finished the outward breath when Ichigo's hand moved away again. Agile fingers came to the button on Grimmjow's shorts to pop it out, and Grimmjow held his breath as the zipper was dragged down so slowly, it was hard not to reach down and do it for himself.

The warm fingertips of Ichigo's other hand skipped across Grimmjow's ribs, startling him and forcing him to breathe. In those first couple moments, Grimmjow felt out of his element, but still good enough not to want it to stop. Not only because it would cause a stall in his assignment, that thought was furthest from his mind. It was more that Grimmjow wanted to know what else Ichigo could surprise him with, and just how good he could make him feel.

The tangerine's first hand floated over Grimmjow's boxers for what felt like a small eternity, drawing blue eyes downward to watch for its next move. Grimmjow couldn't remember aching so badly before, feeling himself so hard with barely a touch. Amidst his muddled thoughts and inward shouts at Ichigo's slow pace, Grimmjow attempted to convince himself that his body only was reacting that way because he hadn't been with anyone in a long time. Truthfully, he knew it wasn't that. Not even close.

Ichigo fought his own inner war with himself as he stared down through the semi-darkness at his hands. He wanted to keep going, so very badly, and could see how Grimmjow strained for the very same thing. But the doubts in the back of his mind just wouldn't go away, nor would the reminder that he was the first guy Grimmjow had ever been with. Ichigo _could_ be Grimmjow's first in many respects and could possibly change his views on sex and all the things that led up to it. He knew he was dissecting the situation too much, that he should just get on with it, but as his hand twitched above Grimmjow's squirming hips, Ichigo couldn't find it in him to make the move.

Grimmjow glanced down at Ichigo's hands, bit his lip and turned his head in Ichigo's lap. He could feel the redheads own arousal stirring beneath his head as he cursed whatever it was that held the kid back. Was Ichigo scared, or just being a dick?

Ichigo's right hand rested lightly on Grimmjow's stomach, hooking underneath his boxers just enough to lift them upward, and then Grimmjow bit back a groan when Ichigo's left hand finally came down to push inside his underwear. Ichigo lifting the edge of Grimmjow's boxers higher and peeked inside while letting his free hand wander over the lowest part of Grimmjow's belly. He carefully avoided the obvious, only letting his fingertips brush over closely trimmed curls.

Grimmjow hissed out a breath, legs bending at the knee while he lifted his hips, searching for the feel of Ichigo's palm against his cock. He reopened his eyes, staring pointedly at the tensing of Ichigo's neck and throat above him. The urge to taste the dark skin, reach up and jerk Ichigo down for a kiss was strong, but Grimmjow couldn't move, couldn't do anything. It was positively infuriating.

Dark, lusty eyes captured Ichigo's when the younger male glanced down at the blue framed visage of Grimmjow's face. Ichigo blinked slowly, his fingers twitching into movement and he watched intently as his left hand came to press against Grimmjow's length, sliding down over it gently enough to have Grimmjow rising into the touch with a harsh exhale.

Grimmjow dug his fingers into the sand on either side of him, neck arching back on Ichigo's thigh, but the hand moved slow, squeezing softly. It wasn't enough, and Grimmjow couldn't believe it when his mind and body begged for more. He stubbornly gnawed at his lip, reclosing his eyes and telling himself that he wouldn't demand anything except with his uncontrollable writhing.

Ichigo's thumb slipped over the head, tracing the dripping slit and Grimmjow sucked in a sharp breath. Ichigo's other fingers trailed along the top side, following pulsing veins gradually toward the base before fisting his entire length firmly and stroking his hand back toward the tip. Grimmjow jerked his head aside in Ichigo's lap, only further aroused when he was greeted by the sight of Ichigo's own erection beneath his thin shorts. Grimmjow barely had enough grasp on his thoughts to realize that being so close to it turned him on, rather than _way _the fuck _off_ as it should have. Licking his lips, he lifted one hand to rest it on Ichigo's waist.

Ichigo's eyes narrowed, doing his best to peek down at the thick member his hand was working from underneath Grimmjow's cotton boxers and loosened shorts. Finding it was no use, he took a quick glimpse around to be sure they were far enough away from the others, then angled Grimmjow's length out of the confining underwear, exposing it to the cool air and drawing a groan from the man beneath him. Ichigo's eyes glued to the proud cock in his hands, tongue coming out to wet his lips while he considered how surprised Grimmjow might be if he plunged down there and sucked it into his mouth like he so badly wanted to.

Grimmjow's fingers tickled over Ichigo's side and, pulled from his trance, Ichigo looked down at Grimmjow's widening grin as a warm hand slipped over his belly, lifting his shirt to reveal the flat planes over his abs. Ichigo didn't ask, but merely watched Grimmjow's movements while continuing the slow stroking motion of his hand. It was kind of nice that the blunet didn't just lie there, and he seemed to be curious, too. That was probably a good sign.

Grimmjow parted his lips, letting his fingers circle Ichigo's navel, then he scooted forward, surprising Ichigo by pressing a kiss to his warm stomach with his tongue coming out to flick over his sun bronzed skin. Grimmjow's hand lifted Ichigo's shirt further, then slipped around his waist, pressing against his lower back while his mouth teased at Ichigo's stomach. A soft rumble was muted against Ichigo's skin as the side of Grimmjow's face brushed against the tangerines growing arousal.

Ichigo fought the blush seeping into his cheeks, but it was no use. He was sure that Grimmjow could feel it now, and the way the man's sweet mouth tasted his stomach was only making it harder. He tried to focus on his own hand, fingers tightening a little more while he picked up the pace just enough to steal a deep moan from Grimmjow's busy mouth. The sound was rich and throaty and it made Ichigo's whole body hum while his mind produced images of Grimmjow making the same sound in other, more revealing positions. _Fuck, he needed to calm down_. Why did they have to be in such an open place?

Ichigo's eyes trained back on Grimmjow's length, barely able to make out beads of pre-cum sliding down, and he gathered them up with each pass, smoothing it along the silky skin.

"Haah-" Grimmjow gasped, pulling back from Ichigo's stomach as he was pumped faster. His eyes rolled back in his head and body jerked with the sudden rush of pleasure. With a hand pressing harder against Ichigo's back, Grimmjow hugged the redhead close to his face and tried to muffle his moans against Ichigo's stomach.

Ichigo hunched over Grimmjow, knowing it would probably stop the other from kissing him but his wrist hurt from the angle and he needed a better grip. Sensing the problem, Grimmjow sat up and moved to lean against Ichigo's chest, sitting tight between Ichigo's legs. Quickly getting comfortable, he tilted his head back and his heels pressed into the sand as his hips lifted into Ichigo's loosened grip.

"Don't stop," Grimmjow warned.

Grimmjow's breathy voice did nasty things to Ichigo and he struggled to keep his eyes open while he brought Grimmjow closer to release. Having much better access with both hands, Ichigo replaced his left with his right, finding he had much better control with his prominent one. He let the left hand slide further into Grimmjow's shorts, pressing over the top of his thigh before dipping between his legs and teasing the sensitive skin he found there. Occasionally, Ichigo let his fingertips graze the blunet's balls, and each time it provoked a deep and honest sound that sent shivers all down his spine.

Grimmjow's breathing had morphed to quick pants, his body constantly moving and fidgeting under Ichigo's practiced hands. "Fuck.._ fuck!_" he ground out through clenched teeth. The muscles of his stomach and legs pulled tight and he groaned heatedly as Ichigo kept a constant pace of firm strokes. Feeling Ichigo's strong, practiced hand on him gave Grimmjow somewhat of a revelation. The kid had more skill in his than he would have guessed. It made sense, really, but he didn't ever think of it that way, or at all before.

Thinking wasn't all that much of an option for the blunet with the new position. Ichigo used his new free reign over Grimmjow's neck to taste and suck at random spots, breathing hotly beneath his ear and biting it now and then. Meanwhile, Grimmjow got his first real experience with feeling another man hard against his back, but Ichigo was kind enough not to grind against him, though the blunet decided he wouldn't mind that so much.

"Grimmjow," Ichigo coaxed softly, letting his lips brush against the blunet's temple as he spoke. He could feel the tension building in Grimmjow's body and bit his lip as he wondered how they'd so easily gotten this far. Grimmjow's cock glistened beneath Ichigo's fast moving hand; soft, wet noises from it joining Grimmjow's gasps and Ichigo's encouraging whispers into his ear.

Finally, Grimmjow's hips rocked forward into Ichigo's hand one more time as his back arched and he shuddered with relief, soaking Ichigo's hand and parts of his stomach with his own release.

"Shit," Grimmjow panted, eyes sliding shut as he freed his lip from his teeth.

Ichigo breathed hard against the back of Grimmjow's neck with his own erection still throbbing in his shorts. His hand gradually slowed to a stop and carefully pulled away with Grimmjow's surprisingly needy moans still running on repeat in his head.

Grimmjow turned to stare at Ichigo and pushed a hand into his wild hair, luring him close enough to brush their lips together. He considered saying some sort of lame thank you before deciding it was pointless to do so with words. It was better just to reciprocate, but first, Grimmjow wanted to clean up his mess. "Let's go rinse off, yeah?"

Ichigo nodded weakly, and the both of them unsteadily got to their feet; Grimmjow feeling like all the stress had been drained from his body and Ichigo still heavy and anxious with desire. They padded lazily toward the water, coming to a stop as it washed over their feet and Grimmjow pulled Ichigo close, sealing their lips together and fully enjoying the eager moan the tangerine made against his lips.

When Grimmjow pulled back, he grabbed at his shirt with one hand and tugged it away, flicking his hand out to toss it on the sand. Next, he looked Ichigo in the eyes and grabbed both sides of his shirt. Sending Ichigo a crooked smile, Grimmjow lifted the thin tee-shirt up and off Ichigo's body before throwing it to land near his own on the sand.

Ichigo waited, eyes flickering open and shut as the blunet seemed to study him for a moment. Then Grimmjow drew him closer and bit and nipped a line across his shoulder, rubbing both of his hands up the tangerine's back. Grimmjow could feel Ichigo, still hard as ever against his hip and pressed himself forward, providing a delicious bit of contact that made Ichigo's head fall back with want.

"Grimmjow.."

"Mmm," Grimmjow loved that sound. He clutched Ichigo closer and started to guide him down, both of them coming to their knees in the shallow water. Sitting back for a moment, Grimmjow let Ichigo watch while he sank into the shallow waves and let it wash away the stains on his pants, stroking himself gently to clean up before tucking it back into his shorts and zipping up. The whole process was more to see how long Ichigo would wait than anything. So far, the redhead seemed to have everything under control, though Grimmjow couldn't see the strain in his eyes as he waited.

Grimmjow reached out and brought Ichigo close, one hand diving into orange hair while the other mounted on Ichigo's hip. Knowing how much torture it could be to take his time, Grimmjow eagerly traced his fingers along Ichigo's skin, circling the little hot spot between his hip and belly, loving the way Ichigo keened and arched into him for more.

"It sucks being teased, doesn't it?" Grimmjow husked against Ichigo's ear. His hips rolled forward, grinding on Ichigo's restrained arousal.

Ichigo groaned, letting his hands come up to grip Grimmjow's thick arms, almost losing it when they flexed under his touch. He was suddenly very sorry for making Grimmjow wait because now he was stuck, unable to do anything other than reveal just how submissive he could be when someone withheld the attention he craved and was too stubborn to ask for.

Grimmjow dipped a hand down into the water then brought it back up, trickling random drops over Ichigo's hip and watching as they slid into the tiny gap beneath his shorts, running down inside his underwear. Ichigo shivered, hips twitching forward, nipples hardening as the cold air bit at his overheated skin. Grimmjow caught sight of this and grinned mischievously. Bringing the redhead closer, Grimmjow let one arm slip around Ichigo's back. Bending Ichigo over his forearm, Grimmjow leaned forward to kiss and lick at a perked nipple that called out for attention.

Ichigo let out a surprised, strangled moan, his hands flexing open and closed on either side of him while he searched for something to grab, hoping whatever it was might bring back a hint of his sanity. Grimmjow was way too good at this; he seemed to pick up on just what Ichigo needed, what drove him wild and made him squirm. Ichigo almost resented him for it, and might have hated it if his body wasn't riddled with pleasure.

Grimmjow's breath was hot against the little damp spots he left behind with his kisses, eyes lifted upward to watch Ichigo's face. More and more kisses brought him lower, leaving a wet trail from the bottom of Ichigo's sternum toward his navel and then he paused. Finally, Grimmjow blew out a warm breath across Ichigo's stomach.

"Nnh, Grimmjow!" Despite how vulnerable he felt, Ichigo couldn't bring himself to worry about one of his friends hearing or seeing him. He didn't care about Grimmjow's supposed straightness any more or what was right or wrong. It didn't even matter that they were moving faster than he was used to. All that was left to run Ichigo's thoughts was Grimmjow's mouth and the untouched bulge beneath his own shorts. Self-control be damned! Ichigo needed release and he wasn't about to let that go unknown.

"Gah, touch it, ..come on!" Ichigo arched further back over Grimmjow's arm when Grimmjow's lips grazed the skin just above his shorts. He honestly hadn't expected to have his favor returned, figuring Grimmjow might not be up for it yet, but on top of that, Ichigo never would have guessed that Grimmjow would do this much extra work_._ He couldn't help feeling like he'd gotten really fucking lucky with this one and smiled smugly when he realized how many other guys were missing out.

Grimmjow didn't notice Ichigo's smile because his eyes were closed, mind still spinning from the effect of hearing Ichigo call out his name. His free hand came up to loosen the drawstrings of Ichigo's shorts and he started pulling the fabric down. Kissing Ichigo's stomach once more, Grimmjow's hand pressed against the straining member just under his chin, kneading the engorged flesh through thin clothing while Ichigo practically fell backwards over himself, struggling with the sensation of finally being touched. Flattening the palm of his other hand against Ichigo's back, Grimmjow held the tangerine steady and smirked as he rubbed him teasingly.

After enjoying a couple more moments of sweet torture, Grimmjow yanked Ichigo's shorts off and grabbed both of his hips, bringing the redhead forward to straddle his lap. Grimmjow kissed the neck presented to him and let his hands fall back down on the task of getting Ichigo off. He snapped the waistband of Ichigo's briefs against his belly then looked up, capturing Ichigo's lips with his own in a slow, searching kiss. Ichigo moaned enthusiastically into it, his hips bucking forward for more attention while he let Grimmjow draw his tongue forward and suck on it.

Ichigo couldn't get enough of Grimmjow's taste, and leaned forward to deepen the kiss. His knees dug into the sand on either side of the blunet and he grabbed Grimmjow's hair, fisting his hands into it and tugging until he was sure it started to hurt. With Grimmjow's head jerked back, Ichigo sucked his soft bottom lip into his mouth, moaning around it when Grimmjow's hands dipped into his underwear and brought out his dripping length.

Ichigo gasped, arching his back when Grimmjow started immediately stroking, and he felt Grimmjow's other hand skating around the edge of his underwear. Grimmjow tugged at the back of the briefs it to reveal Ichigo's backside and he squeezing his butt firmly, suffering a harsh bite on his lip from Ichigo in response.

"Fuck," Ichigo growled, bucking into Grimmjow's quickly moving hand and rocking back into the one on his ass. He knew Grimmjow wouldn't finger him, but god he wanted it. He wanted so much more than that; to sit on Grimmjow's thick length or to shove the man over on his stomach and give it to him until he screamed. But not just yet. Ichigo yanked at Grimmjow's beautiful hair, bringing his head back again and smothering his neck with open kisses, teeth dragging here and there.

With his head held back and Ichigo's eager attack on his neck, Grimmjow blindly followed the seam between Ichigo's two firm cheeks, pressing his fingers softly in-between while his other hand tugged at redhead's length. Rougher kisses were spread across his neck and then Ichigo bit hungrily into the skin, humming lowly.

When Grimmjow's middle finger came to rest over his entrance, Ichigo cried out, releasing Grimmjow's neck from his teeth and throwing his own head back. "Do it," he urged, not realizing it as the words formed in his mouth. "Don't fucking tease me!"

Directly opposing Ichigo's demands, Grimmjow lifted his hand away from the young mans behind and retracted his arm, focusing a little more on fisting Ichigo's length while he pondered his next move. Grimmjow had no intension of leaving Ichigo hanging, but teasing him for another moment certainly earned him a sexy reaction. He had only explored that far with his hand out of curiosity, but now he was getting ideas.

Ichigo watched, wide eyed, as Grimmjow smirked up at him, apparently amused by torturing him. It was then that he made a silent vow to make the blunet pay, no matter how long it took. But before Ichigo could consider the possible ways he'd enact the plan of revenge, the blunet lifted his free hand to his lips and sucked two fingers into his mouth. Ichigo couldn't believe it even as he stared right at the act.

Grimmjow closed his eyes and wrapped his tongue and lips around the digits before pulling them back and jerking Ichigo forward to replace his hand on his tight ass. Grimmjow slid the wet fingers against Ichigo's waiting entrance and watched the tangerines face contort with pleasure while he slowly sank one of them inside.

Ichigo let out a sigh of discomfort while it settled within him, but his hips still rocked backward for more. Grimmjow's right hand continued over his cock, but slowed to a less hectic pace, his fingertips gliding over the pink skin while his other hand worked to dip another finger inside Ichigo's narrow entrance.

"You like that?" Grimmjow asked, pulling his fingers back before thrusting them in deeper. Ichigo didn't know whether to cry 'yes' for how good it felt or 'more' for what he still needed. All he could manage was a jumbled mess of syllables that sound vaguely like Grimmjow's name.

Reluctant to even blink, Grimmjow smirked and returned his right hand to fast paced strokes, knowing Ichigo couldn't hold out much longer and finding he wanted to see how Ichigo's face would look when he came. It surprised him how easy it seemed to get Ichigo going. Sure, he'd been teasing him for a while and got his share first, but Ichigo's cries had doubled in intensity the moment Grimmjow slipped the first finger in. Curious about how much the redhead could take, Grimmjow added a third and felt Ichigo's grip tighten on his shoulders.

The tangerine rolled his body between either of Grimmjow's hands and tossed his head back with his eyes doing much the same. It was all just too good, too perfect, too fucking hot. Ichigo just knew it wouldn't take much more, and Grimmjow must have known too.

Ichigo gasped in surprise when Grimmjow's fingers twisted inside him, fingertips grazing over his prostate, and it sent him immediately into a wild burst of moans. Ichigo cursed and muttered, still shocked as he lost himself, and then he dropped limply onto Grimmjow's lap when he was through.

Grimmjow slipped his fingers out and dipped forward to kiss Ichigo on the lips, smiling when Ichigo grunted happily and wrapped both arms around his chest.

"Thanks," Ichigo said. He was glad that Grimmjow was daring enough to do what he did, but was unsure if he could manage to form together a complete thought to express it. A simple thanks would have to do.

The blunet merely grunted in response, clutching Ichigo closer almost possessively.

Without the heat of arousal, Ichigo realized it'd gotten chilly and curled further against Grimmjow's still warm body, and closed his eyes. After taking a moment to let all that had just happened settle itself in his mind, Ichigo mumbled to Grimmjow that they should probably get back.

Grimmjow frowned and kissed Ichigo's neck one last time before rising up out of the water and climbing back up the sand toward where their shirts lay crumpled on the ground. Ichigo came up behind Grimmjow as the blunet shook the sand from his shirt, tugging it on. Ichigo focused on squeezing the water out of his shorts with his own shirt draped over his shoulder.

Neither of them spoke on the way back toward the camp, walking next to each other with hands brushing together from their close proximity, both comfortable with the slight distance.

When the heat of the campfire met his skin, Ichigo sighed, standing near to it while his tired body started to feel like it was shutting down. There was a tap on a shoulder and something was shoved into his hands. Ichigo looked down to see that Grimmjow had found his bag and gave it to him to change. He mumbled his thanks and wandered off to strip down and pull on dry clothes.

When Ichigo came back, Grimmjow was already spread out on his sleeping bag, reclining on his back with arms above his head and eyes searching the still darkened sky.

Ichigo thought for a moment before grabbing one of his blankets. He stepped past a sleeping Renji and two lumps that looked like Shiro and Tensa carefully and then plopped down next to the blunet. Ichigo offered a smile before he curled up against Grimmjow's back and closed his eyes to fall asleep faster than he had in as long as he could remember.

* * *

><p><strong><span>AN:**

Ayup. I think I spent the last couple of days stressing about this particular chapter. I can already hear the chorus of 'Already?'s, but that's okay. It's my story, darn it, and I felt some smut was in order. Word wise, this is about the equivalent of a sixth chapter, so it probably seems sooner than it actually is? Oh, and the last song I imagined Tensa singing is 'Morningstar' by AFI, but I didn't want to throw the lyrics in and break up the scene. Um….yeah!


	4. Greed

**Chapter Four: Greed.**

**OR**

**Like riding a bike.**

* * *

><p>The natural sounds of the beach, birds, and the cool ocean breeze might just have added up to one of the most wonderful things Ichigo had ever experienced waking up to, especially when combined with the gorgeous man he lay next to, but no such kind awakening was in store for the tangerine.<p>

First there was chirping laughter, soft thumps from footfalls on sand, and then the awesome experience of a 132 pound blond birthday boy landing in Ichigo's lap before he had the chance to open his eyes or sit up.

"Waaaake UP! Wake up, up UP!" Shinji sang, wiggling around until a hand shot out for his face. Shinji blocked the hit easily due to Ichigo not quite having his wits about him yet. What Shinji couldn't avoid was the sapphire glare coming from directly to Ichigo's left. Shinji rocked backward on Ichigo's lap warily and glared right back at a grumpy Grimmjow. Nobody was going to deny Shinji his best friend's attention on his day, not even said best friends new… what was Grimmjow again? Shinji decided to ask Ichigo about that later on.

"What the hell time is it?" Ichigo sat up halfway before finding a face full of Shinji's shirt. He collapsed back down on his sleeping bag, huffing out a heavy sigh. "It's not even completely light out."

"But it's going to take _all day _to get back home and I want to celebrate my birthday before you have to drive us back and be all boring," Shinji squirmed around in Ichigo's lap again. "C'mon, I wanna have some fun!"

Ichigo frowned at Shinji's hopeful face. He knew that look; it was the same one Shinji gave him last year and the year before. Then the year before that and so on. Ichigo had long since learned that the only way out was to do as Shinji wished. "Fine, whatever," Ichigo shoved the blond off his lap and sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He peered over at Grimmjow for a moment, finding that the man had buried his head under a pillow and turned on his side away from him. "Grimmjow."

"M'wat?"

Ichigo repeated his name with one hand extending to touch the man's side. He watched Shinji hop away to wake Tensa up then returned his gaze to the blunet. "Think you can get up?"

Grimmjow turned his face out of the pillow and squinted at Ichigo. "Yeah. Doesn't mean I want to."

Ichigo rolled his eyes at him. "If you don't, Shinji's just going to bug you until you do."

"Let him try," Grimmjow brought the covers over his face, hiding from the sunlight. "Someone needs to teach that guy what personal space is," he mumbled into the sleeping bag.

Ichigo shook his head and had a good laugh. "Good luck with that," He threw the blanket back, forcing it off of both himself and Grimmjow while standing up. "I'm going to put something together for us to eat. That should give you about fifteen more minutes, okay?"

Grimmjow grunted in response, so Ichigo shrugged and walked off, hooking an arm in Shinji's when he passed him by. Poor Tensa looked dead tired, so Ichigo figured he'd do the guy a favor and take away the loud blond so he could wake up more naturally.

"Help me put some sandwiches out for everyone to eat, and then we can do whatever you want until we have to go. Sound good?"

Shinji looked thoughtful for a moment then dropped his chin into a quick nod. He squeezed Ichigo's arm before pulling away to start removing things from one of the coolers. "So you are you going tell me what you got me yet?"

"Nope," Ichigo laid out a clean blanket and found some paper plates to arrange food onto. "And if you keep asking, I might just keep it for myself."

"Nuh uh. You know you can't hide shit from me," Shinji gave Ichigo a mischievous look. "Didn't you learn this already? That one time when I found-"

"Don't!...say that out loud," Ichigo had a hand clapped over Shinji's mouth, already annoyed by the smile he could feel under his palm. "You said you wouldn't talk about that anymore!" His tone was hushed, eyes darting over to the rest of the group who were still struggling to wake up and untangle themselves from their blankets.

"Pfft," Shinji pushed Ichigo away and smirked to himself. "It's not my fault you leave your 'study material' out for others to find."

"It wasn't left out, and don't call it that. In fact, don't call it anything! Let's just talk about something else," _Anything else_.

Shinji shrugged and laughed. "Whatever you say, Ichi~"

Ichigo sighed and let his mind drift as Shinji helped him set everything up. Even if he'd been bombarded awake, it was still nice to open his eyes to see Grimmjow by his side. Ichigo wondered if that would be happening more often in the future, but he figured it might be a while before it was common. He still didn't know all that much about Grimmjow. Judging by his own friends reactions it seemed Ichigo sat right on the line between Shinji and Tensa in general openness. Shinji was always the more outgoing of the bunch and Ichigo could only guess what Nnoitra had meant last night by 'a proper birthday gift'. Then again, he and Grimmjow didn't exactly have any excuse for what they were up to, either.

Fighting a blush, Ichigo turned to see Tensa sitting down on Shiro's sleeping bag, running a hand through his hair to help coax him awake. Ichigo smiled. Tensa was the slower of the three relationship wise, always was. Ichigo couldn't blame him, considering his luck with other men. Ichigo kind of wished he had that much control. It seemed that Tensa was incredibly patient and strong willed. It worked out well, because the guys that were only in it to fool around quickly grew bored and screwed off, but Tensa wasn't having a whole lot of luck finding someone that would stick around.

Ichigo watched a sleepy smile break out on Shiro's face as he woke, then the albino grabbed Tensa by the neck and yanked him into a kiss. It was likely full of bad morning breath, but it seemed neither one of them minded. Was Shiro going to stick around? Ichigo sure hoped so, even if he insisted on calling him strange names and fucking up his hair.

With Shinji being himself and Tensa the cautious sort, that left Ichigo in the middle. Even Renji had his own thing going on. Before he had Rukia, he was more like Shinji than anyone, if not worse. Ichigo was still surprised when he settled down with Rukia and dated her for a couple years before they finally got engaged. Pre-Rukia, Renji was …quite the player. Ichigo snorted. At least Renji had taught him a couple tricks before settling down.

Ichigo liked to think he wasn't a total prude. Obviously, considering his actions the night before, but that was out of the ordinary for him. Most of the time, when Shinji would drag him out to clubs and other parties, Ichigo would do his best not to take any offer thrown at him. The majority of them weren't all that hard to turn down, but it was funny to see the oblivious girls that would come at him with everything they had. It wasn't as if Ichigo hadn't ever fooled around with someone he'd just met, but it had been a while since he'd let go like that. Probably because it never seemed worth it after the fact.

The thing with Grimmjow wasn't like that, though. Ichigo couldn't figure out what the hell the guy was feeling, but he liked to think that in general he could read people rather well. The blunet just always had this mask on, not quite a scowl or a grin, but right in between where it was easy to shift into whatever expression came first. As much as Ichigo found the thoughtful scowl attractive, Grimmjow's smirk was undeniably his favorite look. Possibly because of the look in his eyes, like he knew something Ichigo didn't.

By the time Ichigo and Shinji had enough sandwiches put together, some Tupperware bowls of fruit and veggies put out and water bottles lined up to be snagged, most of the others had wandered over, following the smells of food. When everyone seemed to have grabbed their breakfast, Ichigo glanced around, but didn't find what he was looking for. Grimmjow still wasn't up. Ichigo set his plate down on the blanket and got up to find the man. Sure enough, Grimmjow had burrowed into the sleeping bag and fallen asleep again. This time, Ichigo tried a different approach.

Silently, Ichigo snuck back under the covers, scooting in close to Grimmjow's back. He wrapped an arm around Grimmjow's waist and grazed his lips across his ear.

"What're you up to?" Grimmjow suppressed a shiver when Ichigo licked at his neck.

"Getting you up," Ichigo responded softly, allowing his hand to wander down over Grimmjow's thigh. "If you don't want me to get you hard in front of everyone else, you better get out of bed."

Grimmjow was silent for a moment, then he pressed himself backward into Ichigo's body firmly, enjoying the warmth he found there. "I don't really care what they think."

Ichigo sighed, starting to pull away, then jolted when he heard a rough voice from a man towering above them both.

"Here, berry. Let me show you how to get Grimmjow up," Without waiting for a response, Nnoitra reached down and ripped the blankets right off of them both, tossing them far enough away that they couldn't be reached without getting up. "Now wake the fuck up or Shinji's never gonna stop bitching at me about your lazy ass sleeping all day."

Ichigo laughed at the disgruntled look on Grimmjow's face and helped the man up out of the sand. "I tried," he whispered apologetically, then scooted off before he could be caught in the middle of a brawl.

Still too groggy to put real effort into kicking Nnoitra's ass, Grimmjow merely flipped him off and shuffled toward everyone else to find some food.

The rest of the boys had already scarfed down their meals by the time Nnoitra, Grimmjow and Ichigo had come back, so the three sat down to eat while Shinji eagerly gathered his birthday presents and started unwrapping them.

First was Tensa's gift of a rather expensive watch with spinning dials inside that made Shinji squeal with excitement. He'd always been somewhat of a watch fanatic and had so many of them at home that he had to have a shelf specially built to display them all while he wasn't wearing them. Shinji immediately strapped the new accessory around his wrist and held it up with a proud smile.

Next was Ichigo's gift, which Shinji had been looking forward to the most. He was surprised to find that it was a very nice mp3 player to replace the one he'd lost a couple of weeks ago. Also, Ichigo had taken the time to load it up with plenty of jazz, as Shinji absolutely loved that genre.

The final gift was from Renji and Rukia. The redhead hadn't actually put any thought into the gift, leaving the chore up to Rukia because everyone knew he was terrible at gifting. So of course, when Shinji picked up the card which contained the gift, he looked at Renji curiously and Renji smiled nervously.

"Just open it," Renji encouraged.

Shinji tore the envelope off of the card and opened it, gasping at what he saw. "Renji, you shouldn't have!" the blond raved, eyes practically sparkling at the little square of plastic.

Oblivious, Renji gave a big, smug grin and waved a hand in the air. "That should help with your line of work, right?" It had been the only hint Rukia gave him as to what it was, so he tossed it out there carelessly. What Renji didn't expect was for Shinji to lift the small Victoria Secret gift card and wave it around in the air happily. Renji's face ...was priceless.

Everyone laughed while Renji's whole upper half colored like a tomato and he backed up on the blanket they sat on, waving his hands ineffectually. "Don't...don't get the wrong idea! I didn't even pick that out.." he defended, eyes still wide as can be. "Rukia! Rukia bought it! I had nothing to do with it!" The redhead suddenly looked so very vulnerable and ashamed.

"Uh huh," Shinji said, still beaming while he tucked the card safely into a bag where he had been piling all his gifts to keep safe. "Thanks everyone, I love everything!"

Some of them clapped and Ichigo hugged Shinji close. When he pulled back, he shot a glance at Nnoitra and his face fell slightly. "What about him? He didn't get you anything?" Ichigo wasn't too surprised by Grimmjow and Shiro not having gifts, but he felt that Nnoitra should have done at least _something_.

"Oh, he already gave me something," Shinji fanned himself with a hand, a rare blush on his cheeks.

"What was it?" Tensa asked, still confused while his eyes shifted from Nnoitra to Shinji.

Nnoitra laughed and pointed at finger at Shinji, winking. "Something he'll never forget!" he claimed, chest puffing out proudly.

".._Oh_," Tensa blushed awkwardly as Shinji and Nnoitra continued to grin at each other.

"I can give you more of that if you want, too," Nnoitra promised.

"Alright!" Ichigo stood up stiffly, not entirely comfortable with that idea. "Let's get in the water!"

"Yeah!" Renji hopped up, glad to no longer be the target of strange looks. He was seriously going to have to say something to Rukia for putting him in such an embarrassing position, but he knew inwardly that he would likely not even mention it. If he did, Rukia would just tease him about it and he'd end up even more annoyed.

Shinji, Renji and Ichigo grabbed a couple skim boards from the pile of things they brought over on the raft, then hurried out onto the beach, all smiles and excited conversation.

Tensa, a bit unsure about the water, decided to stay where he could be dry and fiddled with his guitar in front of the long since burned out camp fire they had. Shiro joined him and sat down to hear him play.

"Got any other talents I don't know about?" Shiro asked when Tensa paused to cast a fond look at him.

Tensa shrugged, lifting a sleeve covered hand to brush the hair from his face. It only fell back in his eyes, so Shiro reached out and tucked it behind one of his ears. Tensa bit his lip, showing a genuine smile.

"Fuck, I love when you do that," Shiro said. "Never thought I'd be saying this, but you're fucking adorable," The albino took the guitar from Tensa's arms and set it aside before turning back to the brunet's curious face. He pulled Tensa close with a hand tugging the front of his shirt, and licked his lips while staring at Tensa's mouth.

"I think you've got the best lips in the world," Shiro whispered, letting his tongue dart out across them, smiling at the left over taste of pineapple. "You should get 'em pierced," Shiro lifted a pale finger to the edge of Tensa's bottom lip. "Right here," he said, then kissed the spot.

"Think so?" Tensa touched the spot tentatively with his fingers. "I've always kind of wanted one, but I didn't know if it would look right."

"Hell yeah, man, it'd look hot as fuck on you."

Tensa grinned and reached out, grabbing the sunglasses Shiro insisted on wearing to pull them aside. Shiro grabbed his arm and scowled. "Don't."

"Come on," the brunet pleaded. "I like your eyes."

Shiro grumbled, but he let Tensa remove the glasses anyway.

"Look at me," Tensa said lowly. One of his hands cradled Shiro's chin and lifted it. They locked eyes, gold meeting blue, and Tensa's face spread with a look of awe that made Shiro's heart beat almost sickeningly fast.

Shiro wasn't used to this sort of thing; feeling and caring, chest tightening and all that other mushy shit. He figured if Nnoitra and Grimmjow could do it, then he sure as fuck could, but it was a whole lot easier said than done. Not that he had a choice when the brunet looked in his eyes without judging or appearing squeamish.

Tensa brought Shiro closer then folded their lips together in a light kiss. It wasn't demanding or rough, just innocent and soft, and despite what Shiro's mind raged at him to do, he stayed close and accepted it without complaint. One of these days he'd get the brunet to let him ravage him for hours. Until then, he figured he could deal with sweet touches and romantic moments like this.

"Hey," Ichigo called, coming up the beach and stopping a safe distance from the two. "Are you guys coming or what? It's beautiful out there and the water temperature is perfect."

Tensa pulled away from the kiss with Shiro, shaking his head to bring his bangs down in front of his eyes. Shiro, still dazed, look up at Ichigo without his eyes hidden behind the glasses.

Ichigo raised a brow, but didn't comment. "Well?"

Shiro grinned and pulled Tensa up to guide him toward the water. Instead of dragging him into the ocean, Shiro held Tensa's hand and they walked down the water's edge. Ichigo smiled after them then turned around, jaw dropping straight down to the floor at what his eyes met.

Grimmjow, a few yards away, was bent over a cooler, fishing out a drink. From behind, all Ichigo could focus on was the curve of his backside and a bit of his lower back. Unaware, Grimmjow reached back and scratched a spot just above the back of his shorts, pushing his shirt further up in the process. Ichigo breathed out heavily and found himself walking toward the blunet without a thought. He came up behind Grimmjow as the man was standing back up straight, popping the cap to the Coke bottle off. Two arms wrapped around Grimmjow's sides and a hot mouthed kiss was placed at the back of his neck.

"That better be Ichigo or I'm going to kick your ass," Grimmjow growled, looking down to see that the arms around him were tan and familiar.

"Who else would kiss you like this?" Ichigo asked, and his lips moved down Grimmjow's neck and over his tensed shoulder.

"I could name a few dozen people that might want to," Grimmjow turned around to face Ichigo with a smirk. "What's got you so hot all of a sudden?" Even while he spoke, Grimmjow pulled out of Ichigo's embrace.

Ichigo stood there looking sheepish for a moment, a little thrown off by Grimmjow's lack of response. "Just...you, I guess." He scratched the back of his head and went for his own drink for something to do. "We have to go back soon, but I can't bring myself to tell Shinji."

They both looked out on the beach where Renji was showing Nnoitra how to skim board, Shinji looking on and cheering each time the redhead fell on his face. Nnoitra seemed to be amused at the very least, but Ichigo could tell even from afar that the tall man had no intension of actually trying any time soon. At least he and Shinji had that much in common.

Grimmjow stared over at Ichigo while sipping from his drink. He felt kind of bad for blocking Ichigo's advance, but he was still a tad overwhelmed by what had happened the night before. When he woke with Ichigo's hands all over him, it was nice, great even. He just didn't know what to do with that sort of feeling. Grimmjow wasn't even sure how things had started happening the night before. One minute Ichigo was talking to him, petting his hair, and then the next Grimmjow was writhing and moaning under Ichigo's touch like some sort of cheap whore for something as simple as a hand job. Ichigo had some magical hands, but that wasn't an excuse, was it?

Shit, it was the best damned hand job Grimmjow'd ever had, and the way that Ichigo had sounded when he returned the favor...it had been so worth it. Ichigo…well, the kid had this natural sex appeal that made Grimmjow feel like a teenager all over again. It certainly didn't make it any easier when Ichigo insisted on walking around without a shirt and some little form fitting swim shorts that hugged all the right parts of him. It wasn't as though Grimmjow would deny his attraction and it didn't bother him, it just confused him. How had he managed to go his entire life without realizing that _that_ could turn him on? Maybe the kid was special after all.

"Are you okay?" Ichigo asked, seeing the way Grimmjow's brows had pulled in concentration and his lips were pressed together tightly.

Grimmjow shifted on his feet and looked up at Ichigo, grunting a response. Stepping past the tangerine, he left a soft pat on the tangerine's behind before going out to join the rest down by the water.

For a moment, Ichigo just stared at the other, blinking and tilting his head. "...er, Grimmjow?" Ichigo jogged after him and yanked on the back of his shirt. "What's the matter?"

Grimmjow turned back. "Didn't you want me to join you?"

Shaking off the instinct to look as baffled as he was, Ichigo nodded. "Yeah. Uh, let me get my board," Ichigo ran off to retrieve it from where he'd ditched it on his way up to talk with Tensa. He came back with a smile already decked across his face from the idea of getting back out in the water to do what he did best. "Have you ever done this before?"

Grimmjow frowned but reached out to take the skim board. "It's been a while," Grimmjow adjusted the board under his arm and took off in a run, tossing it down once he hit the water, then he jumped on it, riding it out into a small wave that had just crested. His body turned, the skim board with him, and he rode the wave out, grin on his face until the wave folded over him. Grimmjow rolled into the water before shooting back up and wading his way out, grabbing the board to take it with him.

Renji cheered from a little bit down the beach with Shinji chiming in behind him. Ichigo just stared, completely surprised. Was Grimmjow one of _those_ guys? You know, the ones that are good at absolutely everything they do. Ichigo silently hoped not, he really hated to lose.

Grimmjow waved Ichigo over, laughing at his dumbfounded face. "What? Did you think I'd live out here most my life and never learn something like that?"

Ichigo just gaped, head shaking. "Do it again, then," It had to be beginners luck.

Grimmjow didn't even question the challenge. He turned back around and tore across the sand, launching himself into another building wave. Ichigo grinned, still shocked. No doubt, Grimmjow was either a natural or had a lot of experience with the sport. When the blunet came back again, Ichigo was sure in that moment that Grimmjow was the most attractive man he'd ever seen in his life.

Why?

Because Grimmjow came up the beach, dripping wet with his hair limp around his face. His cocky gait was in full swing and his shorts were slung low on his hips, weighed down by the water soaking them. Ichigo bit his lip. Maybe they could stay for a while longer..

Grimmjow and Ichigo took turns for another hour. Renji and even Shinji joined in while Nnoitra sat back on the beach to watch. Eventually, Shiro and Tensa came back from their walk, so Ichigo proposed they all have a beer in in celebration of Shinji's big day before they start packing up to go back home.

Tired, Shinji didn't put up much of a fight, so the group of them dragged themselves back up the beach to sip their drinks and stare out at the water. The sun was high in the sky, its rays pouring down on them and making Shinji wary enough to keep applying sunblock. He hadn't completely gotten over his last burn and wasn't about to add to the pain. Undoubtedly, Ichigo would appreciate that, since he was the one that would take the heat for his aches.

Later, when most of the stuff was loaded back on the raft, Nnoitra hoisted Shinji up over a shoulder and toted the squealing blond down to the beach to deposit him safely on the bright orange floating device. He waited for Tensa to come up and join Shinji and then he shoved the raft into the water, watching while they lazily pedaled themselves toward the yacht.

The rest of them didn't race back to the boat, but swam languidly toward it, enjoying the cool water and beautiful day. Nnoitra, being the only exception, got there first this time, not wanting to fuck around in the water, which to him was basically asking for a cramp or some other unfortunate pain. Ichigo and Shiro came up next and then Renji and Grimmjow, both of them sharing a look that made Ichigo curious. Rather than investigating, Ichigo convinced himself it was a good thing that Grimmjow was bonding with his friends. Instead, he wandered off to remind himself how to navigate them home safely, and in a quick manner.

Once Tensa and Shinji came with the raft, everyone helped unloading it and then they started the journey back home.

* * *

><p>Grimmjow fell into his bed, eyes already shut when he hit the sheets. As nice as it had been to relax and fool around with Ichigo and their combined friends, the beach and boating had taken quite the toll on him. He found himself dead tired once he got to his place and stumbled through the door.<p>

Nnoitra had hitched a ride with Grimmjow. Shinji wouldn't drive the guy home and he was stubborn to take the bus, so he promised he wouldn't make the blunet take him home so long as he let him crash at his place. Too tired to care, Grimmjow agreed, so now the tall raven was stretched out on the couch, feet and arms hanging off at strange angles because he was just too big to fit.

Grimmjow turned over on his back, closing his eyes to the breeze from his fan. He'd never know why, but he just couldn't sleep without it on, perfectly angled to blow on his face while he drifted to sleep. It was typical that just as he was about to succumb to sleep, the brash tune he'd picked for a ringtone interrupted the calm of his room. Grimmjow groaned, turning over to grab at his phone, only succeeding in pushing it right off the bedside desk where it crashed to the ground, but kept ringing mockingly.

"Fuck!" Grimmjow leaned further off the bed, one arm dangling down to grab it, then shoved the phone up to his ear after hitting the send button. "What?" he asked with a rough voice.

"Sosuke has called for a meeting with you to take place in approximately an hour," a rich voice said in a no-nonsense flow of words.

_Ulquiorra._

Grimmjow curled his lip to the sound and blew out an unrestrained sigh. "Yeah, alright," He clicked the phone shut and tossed it across his bed with another curse. The frequency of those meetings was starting to get annoying, but he guessed it made sense because he had been out of contact for two days. When he lured himself off the all too welcoming sheets, Grimmjow stepped out of the room to find Nnoitra staring at his phone with an equally annoyed scowl.

"Need a ride?" Grimmjow asked, and Nnoitra turned with a sneer.

"Yeah."

* * *

><p>Ichigo's eyes glazed over as he stared at his hands under the cool, running water. He tended to find himself at the sink at least a dozen times a day at work, washing away public filth that made his skin crawl. Even when he was the one to clean the bar up before leaving, Ichigo found that it wasn't ever quite clean enough. Today, there was an extra roughness in his movements as he scrubbed, because in all truth, Ichigo was mad. All because of <em>him<em>.

"Ichigo! I didn't know you were working today. Change of schedule?" Tensa came up behind Ichigo and practically beamed when the redhead turned around. It was hard for Ichigo to stay angry at anything with his friend looking at him like that.

"Yeah, Kisuke had some...party to attend. Is that a piercing?" Ichigo squinted at the little hoop on Tensa's lower lip while the brunet took a deep breath to explain. Before he could, Ichigo interrupted. "That's for Shiro, isn't it?"

Tensa toed the tile floor beneath his feet and shifted anxiously. "Kinda, but I've always wanted one. Do you think Kisuke will care?"

"Are you kidding? He's strange enough with that damn hat he always wears and those clogs...I don't think you've got anything to worry about," Ichigo took one last look at the piercing and turned to dry his hands. "It looks good on you," Without realizing it, the scowl took over Ichigo's face again and he tried to keep his friend from noticing. It wasn't a big deal, he really shouldn't have been upset. It wasn't the piercing, either. Ichigo was happy for his friend, proud of him. He only wished his own relationship hadn't withered into nothing recently. Was it even a relationship?

Tensa spent the rest of the shift beaming at customers when they mentioned the new addition. Ichigo couldn't help but think that maybe Shiro was doing his friend some good. Did the albino actually call Tensa when he said he would? Probably. Ichigo rolled his eyes. Even Nnoitra could get things right with someone as picky as Shinji, so why couldn't Grimmjow step up?

The evening went by quickly enough, though Ichigo caught himself searching for blue hair in the booths a few times, of course, finding none. He hadn't talked to Grimmjow for at least two days, since they all returned from their weekend getaway. At first, he figured he'd give the guy space and let him make the next move if he was ready, but now Ichigo was starting to wonder if that was the right choice. Over the course of the day, he probably checked his phone a hundred times. Each time, his heart would soar up into his throat with hope until he found that he had no messages. Then it would sink to the floor where he proceeded to stomp it into nothing, hoping that he wouldn't be stupid enough to check the dumb phone again. It didn't work.

The more and more Ichigo checked his phone, the worse it was, but avoiding it didn't help either. He would sit and wonder, glare at his pocket where it sat, and stand there with the moody look on his face as people demanded their drinks, paid up, and wandered off. Generally, Ichigo wouldn't let his mood set the tone for the day, but his current annoyance had all started with a small doubt that had been festering since he got home from Hueco Mundo.

Had he pushed Grimmjow too far? The entire second day on the island had a strange, tense feel about it that Ichigo didn't like. Even though the blunet kept smiling at him and looked gorgeous in the water, Ichigo couldn't help but wonder why the guy shied away from his touches and wouldn't even stand in close proximity for long. The entire boat ride back had been boring as all hell for Ichigo. Everyone had stayed in the cabin while he, completely exhausted, sang to himself to stay awake with nothing but the damned silence as he drove them back.

Eventually, Renji being the great guy he is, came to sit with Ichigo, but he hadn't said a word. Ichigo was glad for the company, even in silence. He could tell from the slight pull of Renji's eyebrows that he was worried, but didn't want to intrude with any guesses. So they just sat, and Ichigo was perfectly fine with that. The only problem he had with the silence was that he was allowed to think. Just like now.

Ichigo realized that it would be pretty easy for Grimmjow to cop out of the whole thing, or try to forget it ever happened. But he wasn't so willing to let it go down that way. He'd resolved earlier in the day to call Grimmjow after his shift ended, if the guy hadn't contacted him first by then.

Unsurprisingly, Grimmjow didn't call, so as Ichigo walked out of Benihime's toward his car, he held the phone in front of him and scowled at the screen as if he could make the blunet contact him that way. It seemed like both Tensa and Shinji's relationships had started up without a hitch, but his own experience with Grimmjow was different. They might not have realized it, but by his friends constantly mentioning things about their good times and progress, Ichigo couldn't help but be jealous.

Now was the time to act; no more waiting around for Grimmjow to be the courageous one. Ichigo sent the call and held his breath while he heard the tone of each ring. His lips parted in preparation to give the man an earful, and then Ichigo turned his head when he heard a loud song break out in the parking lot. He turned with the phone still up to his ear, cursing in the back of his mind for Grimmjow taking so long to answer.

Then Ichigo finally cast a glance at his truck. There Grimmjow stood, arms crossed, back leaned up against the passenger door. Even though Ichigo was half a breath away from tearing into him, he felt all of that anger and annoyance ease when the weakening in his knees started. Ichigo came to a stop, staring at Grimmjow and the sight he was.

Right then, Ichigo wondered if he would ever get over the moment of shock he experienced every time he saw the other man. The breathlessness he'd feel and the pounding of his heart. Ichigo had spent the entire day running a constant repetition of what he'd say to Grimmjow as soon as he called, and now he couldn't remember a word. All it took was for Grimmjow to smile as he took out his phone and answered Ichigo's still ringing call.

"Hello stranger," Grimmjow said, and Ichigo heard the phone echo the man's voice just after he heard it across the lot. He wasn't far away, but it seemed like walking the distance was such a long and treacherous path. He had a few choices on how to take it from there, but the most favorable seemed to crowd his mind with images of Grimmjow stripping down and-

"Is anybody there?" Grimmjow asked in that teasing tone. Ichigo's blood boiled at the blunet's nonchalance and he made his decision. Shutting the phone, Ichigo gathered his pride up from where it melted at his feet and walked over confidently. Just because Grimmjow looked like a four course meal of sex with a side of seduction didn't mean Ichigo was going to forget how mad he was. So he stomped right over and stopped in front of his truck, just a few spare feet from the grinning bastard.

Did Grimmjow _have_ to look like that? Like he could command Ichigo to undress with just the look in his eyes.

Ichigo shivered. "What are you doing here, Grimmjow?"

As if the look on Ichigo's face meant nothing, Grimmjow laughed. The sound might have enraged Ichigo if it didn't turn him on. Then the blunet just _had_ to shrug his shoulders so that Ichigo couldn't put off staring at that broad chest or the man's thick arms any longer. Ichigo narrowed his eyes, almost angrily taking in the dark blue jersey material that made up Grimmjow's sleeveless shirt. It was outlined with a marine blue color around the edges, and Grimmjow wore a matching teal belt and dark blue jeans. They weren't tight, but not too loose. Just snug enough to tease Ichigo with the sight of Grimmjow's strong thighs and.. fuck, he was meant to be saying something. Something angry. Had Grimmjow answered him yet?

"And here I thought I'd be getting a welcoming kiss," Grimmjow reached out, and before Ichigo could react, the blunet grabbed his bartenders vest and dragged him close, drawing a growl from the tangerine when he realized what was happening.

"Why would you deserve a kiss?" Ichigo mumbled, reaching up to grab the hand fisted in his shirt, if only to look like he didn't want it there when he most definitely didn't mind. Grimmjow's knuckles grazed his chest and Ichigo took a breath when he felt the warmth of those fingers through his clothing.

"I came here, didn't I? It's not like I got any calls the last couple of days. Not even a text," Grimmjow was still smiling, as if he didn't care that Ichigo hadn't bothered to contact him. _Bastard_. It all seemed so very funny to him.

"You could have called me!" Ichigo said, sounding to himself like a five year old. Oh yes, great come back. He might as well tell the guy he had a stupid face while he was at it. Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"That's true," Grimmjow agreed, and Ichigo was taken a back because the man had given in. His surprise was immediately extinguished when Grimmjow added to the statement. "But I distinctly remember you saying you would call me about our next date. Remember, we just got back from the island and you looked like you were about to pass out?"

Ichigo stared at the man, dumbfounded. How could he have forgotten? He _had_ said he'd call Grimmjow, and like a complete dunce, he spent the last couple of days pouting and throwing unnecessary fits. Ichigo swallowed and finally extracted Grimmjow's hand from his shirt. "Oh I did, did I?" he asked, wondering if even Grimmjow believed that lie. Ichigo certainly didn't.

"You sure did," Grimmjow tucked his phone away and reached around Ichigo, pressing a hand against his back and pulling him in. Ichigo didn't struggle until it was too late, but he hadn't put up all that much of a fight. Grimmjow silenced his half assed protest with a kiss and the hand on Ichigo's back rubbed soothingly. It was right at the spot between Ichigo's shoulder blades where he had been held back on the island in the water. Ichigo couldn't help the moan he made. Grimmjow drank it in, returning the sound before separating.

Still shocked into silence, Ichigo stared into ocean blue eyes, and then it hit him. Just why those gorgeous blues had Ichigo captivated every time. They were as ever changing and beautiful as the water he loved; emotions coming and going like the oceans tides, with hues and shadows in those shining depths that he could float away and lose himself in. The effect of having Grimmjow return his gaze was stunning, and Ichigo wondered what the other man thought about when he looked into his dull brown. Grimmjow was talking again, and Ichigo hadn't heard a word of it. Judging by the look on the blunet's face, he knew that, too.

"In case you missed it, I was asking how many times I going to have to kiss you before you want to do it back."

Grimmjow's voice was low, a deep murmur across his lips, and Ichigo clenched his fists at his sides. Why did he have to fall for a man so irresistible that he couldn't think straight around him?

"How many kisses is that for me?" Grimmjow went on, lifting a hand to count them off on his fingers. "Five…six?"

Ichigo pressed both hands flat against Grimmjow's chest and pushed him hard against the truck. He curled his fingers in the blunet's tight shirt, hoping that it might have even slightly the same effect on Grimmjow as it had on him. Ichigo didn't complain or call Grimmjow an idiot for discounting all the kisses he was sure he had given him. However, he did kiss the man hard, grabbing the hair on the side of his head with one hand as the other continued to press against Grimmjow's chest. The blunet made a pleased sound and pulled Ichigo closer, letting one hand wander down to rest on his lower back.

Opening his eyes to see the bright blush on Ichigo's face, Grimmjow caught a glimpse of white over the tangerine's shoulder. It was hard to focus with Ichigo kissing him so intently, and with skill Grimmjow had yet to experience. But there was a man, with a bright purple shirt no less, standing near the entrance to the bar, peering out at them. Narrowing his eyes, Grimmjow met the strangers gaze, and the white haired man stepped back, pulling the door to the bar open and retreating inside. Shrugging inwardly, the blunet returned his focus to the kiss and used Ichigo's distracted daze to switch their positions, bringing the tangerine around and against the metal surface of the car with a loud thump.

Ichigo grunted from the force of the push. His lips didn't part from Grimmjow's, and his hands wandered up the man's shirt, fingertips dragging over his sides. In his peripheral, he could see a strange darkness on Grimmjow's skin, and eventually Ichigo pulled back. Tugging Grimmjow's head to the side with the hand in his hair, he studied the fading mark on the blunet's neck. That was his mark, wasn't it? From the beach? Ichigo really, really hoped so.

"Yeah, you did that," Grimmjow confirmed, smirking at the tangerine. "I've been meaning to repay you for that, too. I've been getting a whole lot of strange looks," Leaning in, Grimmjow touched Ichigo's cheek, proud when the redhead leaned into the touch, revealing the right side of his neck and a peek of his collarbone from his unbuttoned dress shirt. Grimmjow reached up to pop out another button and tugged on Ichigo's vest, pulling it open as his mouth latched to the younger man's neck. A low moan vibrated against his lips and Grimmjow hummed in return, drawing Ichigo's warm skin between his teeth and sucking harshly, enjoying the tightening of Ichigo's fingers in his hair and on his side.

Ichigo's hips jerked forward and he gasped when he found the heat of Grimmjow's arousal pressed to his. As if in response, Grimmjow dropped the hand from his cheek and dragged it up from Ichigo's knee over his thigh. He grabbed the leg and brought it up, holding it next to his hip as he pressed the redhead firmly against the truck.

Ichigo groaned and rolled his hips. His heart fluttered when Grimmjow released his neck and started working lower, biting at his collarbone and undoing another button on his shirt with rough fingers.

"Grimmjow?" Ichigo tilted his head back against the window of the truck and tried to breathe. They were out in a parking lot, not exactly hidden from view, but Ichigo couldn't focus enough to care. He had to ask himself again if he really believed that Grimmjow was ever straight. The man was shameless, if anything, and certainly not new to drawing pleasure with his mouth. At least gender didn't matter all that much for those two things.

Grimmjow's hand strayed to Ichigo's belt, pulling on it, but not unfastening it. Just teasing Ichigo with the light pull on his jeans. The fingers of his other hand dug into Ichigo's thigh, tightening each time their hips met in a lazy thrust that had the both of them breathing hard when their lips met again. Grimmjow mumbled something into his mouth, and Ichigo peeked his eyes open to find lust darkened blue narrowing at him. Dropping his head back, Ichigo asked "What'd you say?"

"Why is this still on your arm?" Grimmjow lifted the hand from Ichigo's belt to pull on the paper wristband Ichigo still had from the carnival. Ichigo opened his mouth to explain, but the bracelet snapped and Grimmjow's brow lifted in surprise.

"You broke it!"

Grimmjow frowned and tossed the band away. "So? It's plastic, did you expect it to last?"

"It would if some asshole didn't yank it off!" Ichigo sighed and dropped his leg back down. "Never mind, you wouldn't understand."

"How do you know I wouldn't?" Grimmjow wasn't exactly ready to stop what was going on, and suddenly regretted asking the question. Ichigo looked pretty pissed, but he wasn't all that sure why. As good as the scowl looked on the tangerine, Grimmjow preferred and missed the dazed, aroused look he had before.

"It doesn't matter now," Ichigo pressed a palm to Grimmjow's chest to push him away. "You never told me why you're here."

Resisting the push, Grimmjow stepped closer, between Ichigo's feet, and he forced the tangerine to lean back against the truck again. "I told you, I'm here because you didn't call about our next date."

Ichigo looked surprised again and Grimmjow sighed. The kid sure forgot things easily. "So are we going to do something again or not?"

Nodding, Ichigo reached up to rebutton his shirt to hopefully distract himself from blushing. It was obvious that Grimmjow was still hard, and it wasn't easy to think with that heat against his body. "Are you free tonight?" he asked.

"Nope," Grimmjow stared down, wondering why it seemed so important for Ichigo to cover his chest back up.

Grimmjow shifted and Ichigo's eyes fluttered at the renewed friction. "Then what about tomorrow?" Something like a faint blush broke out on Grimmjow's cheeks before passing in an instant. What was up with that? "If tomorrow doesn't work, we can do it some other time," Ichigo said, wondering if he'd stumbled onto something important that might be happening for Grimmjow the next day.

Schooling his face, Grimmjow shook his head. "Tomorrow is fine," Closing his eyes, he withdrew slightly from the tangerine and frowned at all of the bullshit flooding his mind. Like how he had just pressed another man up against a truck in a public area. For a moment there, he had considered fucking the kid in the first decent place they could find.

Over the last few days, Grimmjow had been hearing all sorts of opinions about what he was doing with this job. His boss was all down his neck about staying on task and Ulquiorra was pressuring him to make progress. Nnoitra didn't seem to give a shit and Shiro told him to do whatever the fuck he wanted. It left Grimmjow a little pissed that he cared what any of them thought, and confused about what he should do. He didn't expect to be attached to the tangerine, not like this, and he didn't mean to be so attracted to him. He just…was. A fucking lot.

Stepping back further, Grimmjow straightened his shirt and glanced toward his car. "Give me a call tomorrow and we'll figure something out," Taking one last look at the quickly darkening mark on Ichigo's neck, the blunet left without another word, leaving Ichigo confused and a little turned on as he stood against his truck.

Grimmjow's car bolted out of the lot and Ichigo sighed. What had all that tension been about? Ichigo took a breath to ease himself and turned back to his truck, circling to the driver's side when he spotted someone jogging over, shouting to him.

"Ichigo, hold up!"

Ichigo raised a brow at the white haired, burly man. Kensei was what Ichigo guessed was another affiliate of Benihime's, though as far as Ichigo knew, the man didn't do anything for the bar itself. Come to think of it, Ichigo only ever saw Kensei entering and leaving the elevator to go down under the bar. There were a couple of people that did the same thing, but Ichigo figured there were friends of Kisuke's or Zan's. Neither of the older men were there this evening, so Ichigo wasn't sure why Kensei was hanging around.

"Hey, sorry to keep you here, but do you think maybe you can hang out for a little longer? I need to sign for a delivery Kisuke was expecting and I don't have a key to Benihime's to keep it open or lock up when its here.." Kensei smiled crookedly, hands tugging at the hem of his shirt.

Ichigo yanked the keys out of the car door and turned back. "Alright. What's it for? Just more drinks?"

Kensei walked with Ichigo back toward the bar, one hand coming up to rub at the back of his neck. "Not exactly. It's kind of a personal matter Kisuke has been working on. I'm not sure I was even supposed to mention it, but he'd kick my butt if I didn't collect this delivery and store it properly. I can't do that without your help."

"He's storing stuff down there that's not related to Benihime's?" Ichigo opened the door then put an arm out to stop Kensei from stepping inside. "It's not something illegal, is it?" Ichigo wouldn't put it past the shady bar owner to do something crazy like that.

Kensei chuckled and the sound rolled into an awkward string of nervous laughter. "No, no. You know how he is, just secretive about stuff that's no big deal. I think it might have to do with his anniversary with Zan or something."

"Oh," Ichigo dropped his hand and followed the snowy haired man inside. "Is that coming up already? Man, I guess they've been together a long ass time."

"Sure have," Kensei seated himself on a stool and tapped his fingers against the counter. "It should be here soon, so you won't have to wait long."

Ichigo nodded. "It's fine, didn't really have plans tonight anyway."

"No? Nice guy like yourself has nothing better to do on a Wednesday afternoon?"

"Not till tomorrow," Ichigo's mouth had drawn into a goofy smile as he thought of his supposed date with Grimmjow the next day. Kensei caught the expression and without missing a beat, smacked a hand on the tangerine's back.

"Got a date, by the looks of that grin you got. Nice, man."

"Yeah. I'm still not sure where we're going," Ichigo plopped down next to Kensei on another stool, finding it strange that he was on the customer side of the bar for once.

"Well that doesn't matter, just so long as you've got your… girl. I'm sure you'll keep her entertained the whole time."

Kensei gave him a funny look and Ichigo blushed, not bothering to correct the man. He was still basically a stranger, after all. Strangely, the guy looked to be confused by his lack of response.

A honking came from outside and Kensei jumped up, moving toward the door. "That's him," he said, waving Ichigo over. "Mind helping us bring it in?"

Ichigo agreed and followed after Kensei, still wondering to himself what it could be that Kisuke had delivered. There had been countless deliveries made in the last couple months that, now he thought about it, he didn't know the nature of. Ichigo just always assumed it was something related to the business, but then, how often was normal for deliveries like that? Benihime's was the only bar he'd ever worked at, so Ichigo didn't know for sure.

When they got outside, Kensei spoke with the driver then signaled Ichigo closer. "Just a few boxes today," the man said, turning toward the truck and both men grabbed a handle on the door to the back of the truck to reel it open.

Ichigo stood back and half expected some absurd cargo to be unveiled, maybe oblong boxes or something as colorful as the bar owner himself. The door rolled up to reveal simple, cardboard boxes in typical cube shapes. They were heavy, Ichigo quickly found out, but he couldn't really peg that as abnormal. It took a dozen or so trips to transfer everything inside, then Ichigo was on his way back out, heading home.

* * *

><p>Nnoitra slammed his hand down on the mouse and cursed, shoving his chair away from the computer desk. "I swear, those little fuckers cheat! Spy is such an overpowered class!"<p>

Shinji shooed Nnoitra out of the seat to take his turn. "Then try another class next time. You're killin' my rep here with your constant deaths."

When Nnoitra had called a few hours earlier, Shinji had just been about to sit down to play TF2 with some of his free time, so rather than putting it off, he had the man come over and join him. The blond was pretty surprised to find that Nnoitra had hardly played any first person shooter games before, and sucked at them, too.

"Oh yeah, like 'AFag' is really a reputable name to begin with," Nnoitra said, pointing at Shinji's monitor. "Did you really have to be so blunt?"

Shinji hunched over the keyboard, jamming keys and staring intensely at the screen. "I chose that name because.." he trailed off for a moment and grinned. "Because when I kill someone it says 'SoandSo was killed by AFag.' It's funny."

"Oh...It's not _that _funny."

Shinji shrugged. "It's better than 'Rumple4skin' or 'XXhotgirlJennyXX'" His hands flew up for air quotes then back down on the keyboard and mouse. "Sit your ass down, you're making me nervous."

"I'm still gonna hover over you while sitting 'cause I'm tall," Nnoitra mumbled, pulling a chair over to sit. "How long does this game last? I'm already bored."

"It lasts as long as I want it to because I can just go for another round when one is done," Shinji flicked his eyes over to study Nnoitra's slumped form in his newly acquired seat. "What's wrong with you? Most people love this shit."

"But I suck at it," Nnoitra leaned back in the chair, kicking his feet up onto the corner of Shinji's desk. "Let's play somethin' else."

"Like what?" Shinji closed out the game at the end of the round and turned toward Nnoitra expectantly. "Are you going to entertain me?"

"I was thinkin' you could do that for me," Nnoitra licked his lips and sent the blond a wink. "Come here."

"Oh, I'll _entertain_ you," Shinji sat forward, giving Nnoitra a look that told him there was more to that. "But you have to answer some questions."

"Questions?" Nnoitra grunted when Shinji dropped down in his lap. "Hey, I like this already."

"Mmh, I bet you do," Shinji slid a hand over Nnoitra's chest and covered his mouth with a soft, but demanding kiss.

Nnoitra lifted his hands to Shinji's waist, opening his mouth to the warm tongue sliding between his lips. Shinji's thin fingers fluttered over stomach, down to his belt. "How many questions you got?" Nnoitra asked, pulling away when he felt need tightening his pants.

"Lots," Shinji muttered, kissing his way down Nnoitra's neck.

"I can't promise you'll get any more than three answered before I push ya on the floor an-"

"I get it," Shinji tugged on the collar of Nnoitra's shirt, pulling it down. Without hesitation, his soft lips he fell on the bits of his chest he revealed. "So how is it that you ended up being friends with so many gay guys?"

"That's your fuckin' question? Why does it matter?"

"Just answer or I'll send you home," Shinji threatened.

Nnoitra sighed, but gave in because it was easier that way. "I don't know, maybe it's contagious."

The blond rolled his eyes and sat back. "You aren't even trying. That answer is ridiculous."

"You never said it had to be a good one. Besides, Grimmjow is supposedly straight and Shiro and I are into whatever.." Nnoitra tilted his neck when Shinji's rewarding mouth grazed over his jaw, possibly prodding for more. "I get the feeling something happened between Grimmjow and Ichigo at that Hueco Mundo place, so who knows."

Shinji's eyes flew open wide, surprised he hadn't heard it from Ichigo first. "Did you hear anything, or are you just guessing?"

"Just a guess. Fuck, quit stopping," Nnoitra grabbed Shinji's arms to pull them back to his chest. "That's two, you've got one more."

"Humm," Shinji's fingers tickled under Nnoitra's shirt. "How did you meet those guys?"

"Are you serious? You're just fucking playing with me aren't you?" Nnoitra stood up, clutching Shinji close to body and carted him off toward the bedroom. "No more questions, I'mma give you what's comin'."

"No, wait!" Shinji bounced once when he was tossed on the bed, arms coming up in defense. Nnoitra leaned down over him to start tearing away his clothes.

"Just answer the question...and I'll do that thing." Nnoitra got a gleam in his eye, so Shinji continued. "You know, the one where I lick-"

"We met like six years ago," Nnoitra interrupted. "When we started working together. All three of us," Nnoitra slipped out of his pants and threw his shirt aside. "Now open your mouth."

"What? No," Shinji bit his lip when Nnoitra's boxers dropped to the floor. "What do you do? I don't even know where you work!"

"You're out of questions. You'll have to ask me another time," Nnoitra grasped the back of Shinji's head to bring him close. "Gonna suck it or not?"

"Y-yes," Shinji eyed Nnoitra's full erection, feeling his own twitch in his pants at the sight. It wasn't that he didn't want it, but he knew the answers to his questions were harder to come by than Nnoitra's erections. "Can't you tell me what you do first?"

The taller man snorted. "I fuck chatty blonds into the mattress when they ask too many questions."

"_Nnoi,_" Shinji poked out his bottom lip, brows dipping while a pleading look took up residence in his eyes.

"You know that shit just gets me harder, right?"

"Mmhm," Shinji wrapped his right hand around Nnoitra's arousal and smirked when the tall man shivered. "Where do you work?" He dipped his head forward, letting his mouth fall open.

Nnoitra groaned, hips jerking forward to bring the head of his member to Shinji's waiting lips. "I-" He hissed when Shinji took him into his mouth and sucked lightly.

Shinji pulled back, eyes not leaving Nnoitra's and he lifted the other's length with a thumb under the head, licking a slow path all the way up.

"I'm a real estate broker," Nnoitra said breathlessly. His other hand shot into Shinji's short, silken hair, tugging him closer and watching while pink lips steadily enveloped his cock. "I j-just sell houses and shit. Nothing interesting," He jumped when one of Shinji's hands slid up his thigh then closed around his shaft, working what he couldn't swallow. "Ah, shit."

* * *

><p>"So you guys kissed...and jerked each other off and you're telling me this guy isn't even into men?" Renji lowered the sheet of instructions in front of his face and quirked a brow. "Sounds fishy," And a little on the TMI side of things if Renji was honest with himself.<p>

"It's not fishy, he just didn't know he liked guys. Now he does...maybe," Ichigo studied two wooden pieces of a crib he was helping Renji assemble. The redhead had called him early in the morning sounding a little desperate.

Apparently Rukia was in a bad mood and took it out by chastising Renji for still not having the nursery ready for their little family addition. In truth, Renji had tried plenty of times to put the stupid crib together, but the instructions were ludicrous and the parts didn't seem to fit in any conceivable way without just falling apart the second he let them go. With nobody else to turn to, Renji called Ichigo over for help. Thus the two sat, putting their heads together and still making little progress. Meanwhile, Ichigo saw fit to chat about his love life. Renji didn't mind all that much, but it was still an awkward subject for him.

"People don't just wake up one day and realize they're gay, Ichigo."

"Actually," Ichigo sighed when the two planks of wood he thought were secured slid apart. "It happens more than you would think."

"What? Is that how it happened for you?" Renji clenched the instructions in his hand, tempted to crumple the worthless guide and toss it across the room. "This is the stupidest piece of crap I've ever had to put together."

"It wasn't how it happened with me, but I heard some rumors about how Zan was straight before he got together with Kisuke. He was even engaged to this girl, then broke it off and went right into a gay relationship," Ichigo threw his hands up when the pieces of crib fell apart _again_ in front of him. "This really is a lost cause. Why didn't you just buy one of the premade ones in the store like I told you to do?"

"Oi, don't give me that! You said yourself that this one looked much better. It's just...complicated. I can't… take it back now."

"What? You didn't keep the receipt, did you? God, you really are an idiot," Ichigo picked up a screw and tossed it at Renji.

"What did you say?" Renji got up on his knees and jabbed a finger at his friend. "Who's the one that couldn't even wash his own clothes when he moved out? Who had to have somebody come over and teach him?"

Ichigo bristled to the reminder and he too, shot up to his knees, ready to attack. "Hey, that stupid machine has way too many dials, more than most do! Anyway, weren't you the one who couldn't even ride a bike until recently?"

"Oh that is IT!" Renji launched himself at Ichigo, tackling him to the ground and dodging a bony fist sent at his face. He managed to pin one of Ichigo's arms, but the other swung wildly around in his face and he leaned back. "Fuck, sit still you little shit!"

"Nope!" Ichigo grinned, jutting his elbow out to hit Renji in the ribs, then he brought his feet up under him by bending his knees and rolled to the side, shoving Renji right off his lap. Ichigo fisted the front of the redhead's shirt and stared into his face, the corner of his lips twitching while he tried to look serious. "Are you sure _you_ didn't wake up gay, Ren? Jumping on guys laps?"

"Oh screw you!" Renji spat, wrenching Ichigo's hand away from his shirt by grabbing his wrist. Renji twisted it around behind the tangerine's back and got to his feet, yanking Ichigo up with him.

"Ow, ow okay!" Ichigo scrambled to his feet to ease the pain. "Stop, damn it! You're going to break it!" As Renji's grip slackened a bit, Ichigo kicked out behind him, catching Renji's shin with his heel. The soon-to-be-father crumbled to the ground with a howl of pain and Ichigo dropped to the floor too, nursing his shoulder where the pressure had been put from Renji's lock. After a moment of both catching their breath, Ichigo looked up and locked eyes with his friend.

Then they laughed. Hard and long until their lungs ached and they held hands to their chests in pain.

Fights like that happened way too often between the two of them, and always ended the same. Ichigo could never stay mad at Renji.

"You really like this guy?" Renji asked, bringing the instructions back over to scowl at them while his other hand went up to fix his bandana.

Ichigo rolled his eyes but nodded all the same. "Yeah, I do."

"Give him a chance, then. Maybe he just needs a while to get used to the idea of wanting a dick in the ass, you know?"

"Yeah," Ichigo snickered. "I guess that is a lot to handle all of a sudden."

"Hell, I know I'd be freaked the fuck out if I started getting off to dudes out of nowhere. I think you should be glad he didn't turn tail and run after you guys kissed."

"I am glad." Ichigo smiled, feeling more confident about his date later in the day. "I really am."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

I know it's a bit early, and relatively short. I'll be leaving for a week the Thursday after next and I didn't want everyone to have to wait a week and a half for- You know what, nobody cares.

[clears throat] The chapter is early, yay! It's kind of an in between one. I believe a couple readers have places they'll be getting off to soon, so take care! Maybe Thursday could be my new posting day instead of weekends, hm.


	5. Chastity

**Chapter Five: Chastity.**

**OR**

**Byakuya came.**

* * *

><p>Ichigo closed the door behind him with the softest possible click, eyes flinching shut at the sound. The day had started out well enough, even if he had been roused by a speed-talking Renji dead-set on getting help for building a crib. But after the scuffle in the nursery at Renji's house, Ichigo began to feel a piercing pain building behind his eyes. It spread into his temples on his drive home and now throbbed throughout his entire head, making him feel heavy and a bit irritated. Ichigo knew he had to call Grimmjow soon, but figured he could wait for a while as he hoped for the migraine to settle down.<p>

Feet padding gently on the tile floor, Ichigo moved to the dining room table and laid out the contents of his pockets quietly as he could. Keys, phone, wallet, other random objects he didn't remember obtaining in the first place. Ichigo always did have a way of collecting things in his pockets without realizing it, and it had become a regular habit of his to double check every pair of pants before doing a load of laundry. So far, he was lucky enough not to wash his phone or anything else important, but he figured it was only a matter of time.

Leaving his phone on vibrate and moving into the kitchen, Ichigo pulled a bottle of Tylenol from the cabinet and poured two small capsules out. Today was supposed to be exciting, perhaps a little adventurous. It was his first actual date with Grimmjow, alone and with no real plan as of yet. Ichigo hoped that whatever they did wouldn't require him to drive. At least until his headache went away. After downing the pills with a glass of water, he started toward the bathroom for a shower, hoping the warm steam might aid in the process of relieving the ache.

Ichigo winced when something loud buzzed from behind him and he hurried back down the hall to answer his vibrating phone.

"Hi?" he asked softly. A free hand came up to rub over his forehead as his eyes fell shut. For a moment, he felt dizzy and had to reopen them to stay standing. It was beginning to bug him that he was feeling so terrible all of a sudden.

_"_Ichi? Hey, you sound like shit!"

"Thanks a lot, Shinji," As much as Ichigo loved his friend, that sharp voice was not complimentary to his pain. "Look, I have a migraine and don't feel like talking right now. Is this really important?"

"I thought you had your big date today. Is that not happening anymore?"

"No," Ichigo sighed. "I mean yes, it's still happening. I don't know where this came from. I feel like crap out of nowhere."

"Oh, that's too bad. I just wanted to ask you a question then I'll be outta your hair."

Ichigo dropped himself into a chair at the table and scowled. "What is it?" Shinji had a strange sense of what was important and what was not, but Ichigo always gave the guy the benefit of the doubt. He could hear the urgency in Shinji's voice so he patiently waited for him to continue.

"I was hanging out with Nnoitra yesterday. I started asking him questions to get to know him, but he was acting kind of strange. Maybe he just wanted to fuck... I don't know, but it seemed like he was avoiding answering. I tried bribing him, but even my best tricks wouldn't get him to talk."

Ichigo has having a hard time _not_ imagining his friend's words. "Shinji, can you just get to the point?"

"Fine. What I'm wondering is, did Grimmjow ever tell you what he does?"

"What? You mean for work?" Ichigo pinched the bridge of his nose and reclined further in the chair with his head tilted back. "Uh, I don't know. If he told me, I can't remember," When Shinji was silent afterward, Ichigo started to pull the phone away from his face, but Shinji brought him back in with an impatient whine. "If you're going to keep doing shit like that, I'm going to hang up."

"No, wait! If you can't remember, then that's all I needed anyway. I just wanted to remind you to give me a call when you get home tonight," Shinji paused. "_If_you come home, that is."

Ichigo could just imagine Shinji grinning and would have rolled his eyes if he didn't think it would hurt to do so. "If I don't get home too late, I will call. See ya."

"Later! And try not to be such a bitch when you're wi-" _Click_.

Ichigo set the phone down on the table and wandered back down the hallway, loosening his belt and unzipping his pants in the process. When he reached the bathroom door, his jeans fell to the ground and he kicked them off with his shoes and socks while peeling off his shirt. Next, Ichigo's underwear dropped around his ankles and he sighed, staring blankly at the transparent, blue shower curtain hanging in front of him. It seemed like it was a mile away and by now, even his footsteps had seemed too loud.

Stepping gingerly, Ichigo moved toward the shower and pulled back the curtain, wincing at the sound from it dragging over the bar. He turned the dials for the water and minutes later, he was standing under a hot stream, eyes closed and face first in the near boiling water. It hurt and was a little too hot, but he liked it that way.

Ichigo could already feel the pain in his temples melting away as his skin grew hot from the continuous spray of heat over his body. He made quick work of shaving, washing his hair, his body and then he stood there for another few minutes, wondering what was going to happen with Grimmjow.

First dates were usually one of the first times spent with the person alone, maybe a good time for a first kiss or whatever else, but Ichigo had already gone beyond that with Grimmjow. Heck, they even slept next to each other at Hueco Mundo, among other things. Then there was Grimmjow's sudden intensity in the parking lot at Benihime's.

The heat in Ichigo's body flowed both to his cheeks and his groin as he remembered Grimmjow's hands on his body while they knelt in the shallow water on the beach. The focused, almost determined set of Grimmjow's face while his strong hand worked over Ichigo's length and another pressed fingers into him from behind.

Ichigo shuddered, realizing he had wasted enough time and didn't exactly have the luxury of fooling around in the shower all day. He switched the water to cold, hissing when the stream changed temperatures and brought the hair on his arms on end where the water didn't reach. Ichigo turned the water off after another few seconds and hurried out of the tub to find a towel.

It took a lot less time to dress without Shinji there to critique each outfit he tried. In the end, though, Ichigo felt unsure about his choice. He ended up looking in the full length mirror on the bathroom door while he held the phone up to his ear and waited for Grimmjow to answer. Only two rings in, he heard a smooth baritone almost whispering to him through the earpiece.

"Hey there, Ichigo," Grimmjow said, smirk present in his tone.

"H-hey," Ichigo bit his lip, grabbing the ends of his shirt and yanking them down before shoving the bathroom door and mirror away. It wasn't like he was going out with a girl. Grimmjow probably didn't care if he matched or had one or two wrinkles in his jeans. "Did you think of anything for us to do?"

"I may have an idea," Grimmjow waited a moment, hoping Ichigo would be curious enough to ask. He had been unsure over the last few days about what they would do, and finally decided not to worry about it. Figures that as soon as he stopped thinking about it, Grimmjow realized he had the perfect place. It may have been cheesy, but there was an area he remembered going when he was younger and it had a certain sentimental value that made him always enjoy going back. It was likely that that sort of thing would be good for wooing the tangerine.

It was weird for Grimmjow, thinking he didn't mind sharing something from his past with somebody on a job, but Grimmjow told himself that it would just make his deception all the more effective. Problem was, he wasn't too sure where the business part of him ended and the true Grimmjow began when it came to Ichigo. As much as he told himself that he'd focus on the job and get information, he couldn't help but be distracted away from it all when the tangerine was around. Getting yelled at for no results wasn't all too fun, but Sosuke knew by now that Grimmjow had a system and wouldn't pressure him unless he felt it absolutely necessary.

"Are you going to tell me?" Ichigo asked, finally. Really, Grimmjow was being childish making him ask. Even still, the bartender couldn't fight off the smile that spread on his face. Their sarcastic way with things may have looked unnatural to others, but Ichigo kind of liked that Grimmjow wasn't easy all the time. It was a nice mixture of the relationships Ichigo had with Tensa and Renji. Both playful and real, and then the added bonus of Grimmjow's looks. Ichigo swept a hand through his hair, head feeling much better already. He didn't want to use the word perfect, but there just wasn't any other thing he could imagine to describe Grimmjow's effect on him. _Oh well,_ he thought. It was too early to be thinking about that crap anyway.

Grimmjow let the moment stretch out a little longer and chuckled. "Are you going to be ready if I pick you up in an hour?"

"Huh? Where are we going?" Ichigo had already been ready to go, but he suddenly felt unsure. His stomach felt like it was in knots, tongue stuck to the roof of his dry mouth. Nobody else would be around to keep him sane. What if he lost control again and they did more...stuff? Enough of it to push Grimmjow away? No, the blunet wouldn't do anything he didn't want to do. That much was obvious enough.

Grimmjow had already been to Ichigo's place once, so he knew the instructions, but he had only come to the front step. The same place they had their first kiss. Ichigo swallowed hard, audibly, and Grimmjow snickered through the phone.

"Do you need longer than that, princess?"

"No!" Ichigo blurted, face coloring while he started to feel too hot in his long sleeved shirt. He pulled up the sleeves and shook his head. "No, I'm ready," he said more calmly, nodding at himself, proud of the steadiness in his voice.

"Then I'll see you in a bit," Grimmjow paused, about to hang up, then lifted the phone to his ear. "Ichigo?"

"Yeah?" Ichigo held his breath without realizing it, standing tensely in the hallway between his bedroom and bathroom. His back was straight, all his focus on the silence until Grimmjow spoke. If someone had come up behind him in that moment and tapped his shoulder, he probably would have had a fit. Grimmjow seemed to like doing that to him. Making him _wait_.

"Bring a change of clothes," Grimmjow informed, wild grin spitting his face while he hit the End button and dropped the phone in his lap. The blunet reclined on his couch at his place, feet on the arm rest opposite the one his back was against. He lay bare chested in a pair of loose gym shorts, eyes closed with a pair of sunglasses pushed up into his hair.

Grimmjow had just come in from a nice, long run when Ichigo called. Sweat still dripping in rivulets down the sides of his face and forming damp areas on his shirt. He yanked the sweaty top off before answering, breathing deeply and relaxing in the cool, air conditioned room while enjoying the sound of the tangerines voice. If Grimmjow were a lesser man, it might have worried him that another guy's voice could be so pleasing to him. But Grimmjow was no wuss. Just because he was starting to feel something for the kid didn't mean his world had to come to a dramatic halt.

Okay, so maybe he had spent the few days after their trip to Hueco Mundo freaking out about what had happened on the island. It wasn't like Grimmjow was used to being jerked off by a dude, in addition to what he had given back to Ichigo without even a second thought.

Grimmjow still wasn't positive what had even happened to him that night. It was like hormones took over, his body following the directions of his dick until suddenly, he had three fingers buried in Ichigo's ass and because of it, the kid had sounded amazing. _And Grimmjow had liked it. _More so than he should have.

But so what, right? So fucking what! Grimmjow shot up off the couch and headed for a shower. He would get ready to go out and then spend some time with Ichigo, just as planned. Maybe the kid would enjoy what he had in store for him, maybe not. Whatever. They'd figure something out.

* * *

><p>"Shit," Shiro said, eying the white fence around the typical, family home at the end of the driveway in front of him. "Are all of you guys living this well?"<p>

After seeing Tensa's place earlier, Shiro was convinced the kid had a wealthy family, which wasn't totally incorrect as the brunet explained to him. Tensa's little car was deceiving, but his condo, even from the outside, gave the impression that he wasn't exactly struggling in life. "What are you doing working at a bar? I bet you can probably retire already."

Tensa frowned, weakly shoving the albino aside. "Believe it or not, I'm self-sufficient. I've been working the better part of my life, and selling my art on the side helps provide what I need."

"And them?" Shiro nodded in the direction of Rukia and Renji's house. They were offered -or more like ordered- to stop by after Rukia heard that Tensa was dating somebody. Given that Tensa's group of friends (Shinji, Renji, Ichigo and himself) had become like a family, Tensa quickly, albeit nervously extended the invitation to Shiro to spend the afternoon at the Abarai home.

Only the greenest of grass stretched out around the house. Windows were framed with white borders, the outer walls looking freshly painted and dozens of colorful shrubs lined the building as well as the sidewalk and driveway. Inside the open garage, Shiro could see a newer looking car with the plates still shiny, and he figured it had the new car smell. Another car was parked just behind it, a deep blue without a speck of dirt on any part of it.

Next to the first car was just about the only old looking thing on the entire lot; a beat up, burnt sienna colored truck with dirt caked on the wheels, dust clinging to all of the windows. Right away, Shiro pegged it as Renji's; not that the jagged, black stripes along its side would have let him think otherwise. Renji was covered in similar markings, some along his chest and over his arms. Shiro wasn't too positive about where else the tattoos extended to, but he figured it wasn't his place to ask. At least not unless he and Renji were alone, where he didn't have Tensa to scoff at him or whoever this Rukia chick was nearby to overhear.

Tensa looped an arm in Shiro's and pulled the man along toward the door. "They bought and paid for this place on their own, just like I did for mine. Renji has been working hard to get ready for a life supporting his child and Rukia. I think he's done a great job, so maybe give them a break and try not to mention money or the house? I know Renji is really touchy about the subject."

"Hn," Shiro glanced down at the fancy welcome mat, lip curling at just how sweet and stupid it was. Flowers and swirly designs? He wouldn't be caught dead with something like that on his front step.

"I already told you I'll be good," Shiro said, looking up when he heard the chiming of the doorbell as Tensa pushed it. Tensa met his gaze and shook his head, as if begging him not to comment. Shiro grinned, but kept quiet.

The albino thought he heard the distinct, high pitched sound of Renji defending himself verbally from the other side of the door, then it flew open. Shiro set eyes on the man with crimson hair in a frizzy mess about his face and a raven haired, small framed woman standing at his side. In height, Rukia was a whole head shorter than Renji, arms and legs thin, but belly rounded. Rukia gave a wry smile as one hand came out to shake Shiro's. Shiro returned the gesture, gripping her fragile hand carefully before pulling away. He was glad that she wasn't the hugging sort of person, as he wasn't sure how that would work with her being so…pregnant.

"It's nice to meet you Shiro...Shirosaki, was it?" Rukia asked, head tilting to the side.

"Shiro is fine," The albino at the sound of his full name. He'd never gone by that and hadn't planned for that to change. Unfortunately, Grimmjow switched between calling him that and Snow White, neither of which did he like in the least.

"Come on in," Renji's voice was tight, a forced smile on his face as he backed away from the door. He placed a hand on Rukia's shoulder while they led the way into the main room, but it was shaken away. Shiro could see the redhead's posture droop. It was clear that the couple was having a fight, but what about, he wasn't sure yet.

When the four stepped out of the hall, soft lighting and warm colors greeted Shiro's eyes. Framed pictures and various decorations adorned the walls here and there. A full length couch sat in the middle of the floor with a love seat to the left of it and two small chairs to the right. A decently sized flat screen TV was mounted on the wall across the couch and an oval shaped, fluffy rug laid beneath the entire set.

Shiro could feel Tensa stiffen next to him and shifted his gaze to find the cause. A tall, dark haired man was sitting in one of the two chairs, legs crossed at the knee and hands rested on his thighs.

"This is my brother, Byakuya," Rukia said, coming behind the man and dropping her hands on his shoulders. Shiro made his way toward the stranger, putting on his kindest smile while holding out a hand. Byakuya raised his eyes, then sniffed at him before reaching out to take his hand. They shared a firm shake and then Byakuya was pressing his back into the chair, eyes blinking slowly while the silence stretched around them.

"Uh.." Renji cleared his throat and gestured for everybody to sit down. Rukia asked if anybody need a drink and Renji hurried off to fetch tea and water after Byakuya voiced his need for refreshment. Tensa asked to be excused for a moment and took off after the redhead, finding him in the kitchen muttering to himself over a boiling tea kettle.

"You didn't tell me your brother in-law would be here," the brunet said, startling Renji.

Renji turned around and sighed, weary darkening the edges of his eyes. It looked like he hadn't slept well in months, which was probably true.

"I didn't know he was coming. Rukia invited him at the last minute, and of course he got here in no time. I didn't even have a second to call and warn you. Rukia's been marching me around, telling me to clean this and organize that, as if the place wasn't already flawless."

"It's fine. I just don't think Shiro is used to formal stuff like this," Tensa picked at a fingernail while leaning back against the kitchen counter. "It seems like you're in trouble with Rukia again."

"As usual," Renji replied, hands going up in the air. "Everything I seem to do is wrong any more. It used to be that I just had to screw her witless to get her to unwind, but now with that baby..." Renji trailed off and Tensa was so very glad for it.

"Maybe she just needs a day to herself?" Tensa asked. "Have you tried setting up a spa appointment for her? I can only imagine she's aching all over."

"I thought about that, but those treatments are ridiculously overpriced," Renji moved the steaming kettle off the burner and stepped away from the stove. "Besides, I'm sure she'd scream if she found out I wasted that much on a massage. Anyway, I could do all of that for her if she would just let me. I can't even touch her anymore. Big fuckin' waste of those gigantic boobs she has now if you ask me."

"That's...one way to look at it," Tensa put gently. "But I think you should at least try," He shook his head for a moment, clearing the strange images conjured by Renji's overshare. "I mean the spa thing. She might like it."

"Yeah, I guess. It's not like she could get any bitchier."

Rukia stepped into the kitchen a moment later and Renji paled at the thought that his wife might have heard him. He could swear the woman had super hearing and smelling ever since she became pregnant. That, and a crazy appetite for the weirdest shit he'd ever heard of. Renji still had no idea what Mujadara was, but Rukia insisted on having the strange stuff at least once a week.

"What's going on in here?" Rukia asked. Her large, blue eyes narrowed suspiciously, as if she meant to say "What's taking so long?"

Renji chuckled nervously, piling the precious heirloom cups onto a tray with the tea pot. "I'm just making sure this came out right. Wouldn't want to upset your brother."

Rukia's feigned smile dropped a little before she caught herself and let her hand slide off her hip. "Your boyfriend wants a beer," she said to Tensa, ignoring Renji as she stepped back out into the living room.

Tensa raised a brow at Renji who shrugged in response. "I hardly have the chance to get beer anymore because she says I have to cut down," Renji looked as though he'd lost an old friend as he stared at the fridge. "So your boy can only have one. Besides, Byakuya gets all..."

"Grumpy. Yeah, I remember," Tensa pulled open the fridge and heard Renji hurry out of the room. He located a six pack on the bottom shelf and took one of the bottles, opening it up and finding a glass to pour it into.

Visiting Renji's place had always been a pretty laid back experience, but when Byakuya was around, things were much different. Tensa felt like he was at his grandmother's house, shoving his hands in his pockets and walking carefully so he wouldn't harm anything ancient or 'priceless'. He always had to sit and speak just so, and put on a show of manners even he found ridiculous. But Tensa still loved the old folks. He just made sure to do so in small doses over longer periods of time so he didn't drive himself crazy with their constant picking at his lifestyle and professional choices. They didn't know that Tensa was gay, as most of the more distant family members didn't, but the brunet never thought it too important for people he hardly knew to be aware of his sexual preferences. Something he'd learned quickly from his father.

Realizing he'd been staring at the cool glass of beer, Tensa found a bin for the empty bottle and made his way back out to where everyone else was seated.

Renji sat next to Rukia on the smaller sofa, one hand half stretched over the back of it as if considering draping it over his wife's shoulder, but not quite having the nerve. His almond eyes were settled on Byakuya as he spoke to him, explaining his plans for taking a much lighter work schedule after the baby was born so that he could be around when Rukia needed him. Byakuya was constantly hounding Renji about how it was unlikely that he could work less and still support them properly, but the redhead insisted he had it all worked out.

Tensa handed Shiro his beer with a smile and took a seat next to him. One of his hands dropped on his boyfriend's thigh just beneath the knee, rubbing it reassuringly. Shiro smirked over at him while lifting his drink. "Thanks, Ten," he muttered quietly.

"So what is it that you do, Shirosaki?" Byakuya asked, and Shiro's annoyed flinch did not go unnoticed. "Am I to understand you are some sort of business man?" the elder male pressed. His eagle eyes zeroed in on Shiro's expression and the albino suddenly felt like he was back at work, being silently judged by his four eyed boss.

Sosuke had a way of making Shiro uncomfortable; one of the few men in the world that could accomplish such a thing. Shiro had a habit of being himself no matter the circumstances. It always surprised him when people, such as those he was closest to, took to his attitude kindly or didn't let it get under their skin. But men like Byakuya tended to show their dislike with the tone of their voice. Casually judging Shiro like a bug he wanted to crush without dirtying his hand.

Byakuya readjusted himself in his chair, clearing his throat after a moment of silence passed. "Did you not hear me?"

Shiro glowered over at the man, only biting his tongue because of the way Tensa squeezed his leg in warning. Through clenched teeth, he ground out his answer. "What matters is that I work and make a living, is it not, Mr. Kuchiki?" Shiro licked his lips and lifted his drink again, draining half of it and then setting it down on the coffee table in front of him. There were a number of things Shiro could have readily supplied, but he had not yet chosen what would be his cover job. Also, he knew the type of man Byakuya was, and Shiro took great pleasure in the fact that it would bother the other man to no end, not knowing what it was that he did for work.

"I suppose," was the unsatisfied answer.

* * *

><p>A couple of hours, a nice warm shower and a set of clean clothes had been the perfect remedy for shaking off the headache Ichigo had. It wasn't common that he got such terrible migraines, but when he did, they didn't last long, which was particularly fortunate for him today. Ichigo just hoped that it wouldn't come back when the pain medication wore off.<p>

In attempt to ease the stress of waiting for Grimmjow to arrive, Ichigo turned the stereo in his kitchen all the way up and went skidding across the wood floor with thick socks on, Risky Business style. He and had no makeshift mic to sing into, but belted it out anyway, going along with the words to the first song that came up on his playlist. The music flowed through his body, charging him with each beat of his heart until he was making his way around the house on light feet with moving lips and waving arms.

It felt good to let go, but what he also lost a grip on was the time. With the music blaring loudly, Ichigo missed Grimmjow's knock on the door and didn't notice the way his buzzing phone had vibrated itself right off of the table onto the ground.

"Oi!" Grimmjow shouted after watching Ichigo flail about, hips swaying and hair shaking wildly while he sang. He'd been there for about five minutes, unsure whether to laugh or join the kid. Grimmjow finally chose to wait, but grew impatient as the song changed and Ichigo still pranced around, oblivious.

Nearly scared out of his wits, Ichigo froze with a foot lifted from the ground, his arms remaining in the air while his eyes shifted in the direction of Grimmjow's voice. Realizing he was caught, Ichigo dropped his arms to his sides and laughed nervously. "You just let yourself in, I see," He scratched the back of his head and stepped backward a bit, not entirely sure why.

Grimmjow pointed a thumb back toward the door. "You weren't answering, so I let myself in," He grinned at Ichigo, licking his lips at the way the tangerine practically glowed from all the dancing.

"Oh. Let me just turn this off.." Ichigo wandered into the kitchen to kill the music, then poked his head around the corner. "Did you want a drink or anything?"

"I'm good."

Ichigo nodded, stepping out of the kitchen to start piling things back into his pockets, avoiding the miscellaneous junk he didn't need. Then he looked up, met closely with Grimmjow's cocksure grin. _How had he crossed the room so quickly? _"Wha...What are you doing in my face?"

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Grimmjow shoved his hands into the loose pockets of his white, baggy pants as his shoulders hung forward. The blunet dipped his head until his nose brushed against Ichigo's.

Ichigo watched the movement, swallowing harshly as his thoughts had a nervous party in his head. _Forget?_ What was he supposed to be remembering? It occurred to him that Grimmjow might be expecting some sort of welcoming gesture. Maybe a hug or kiss? "Uh, no," he said, unsure.

"No?" Grimmjow's right hand tugged at Ichigo's shirt. "Are you sure about that, Ichigo?"

"The clothes!" Ichigo shouted suddenly, making Grimmjow look like he'd just been slapped across the face. "Sorry, I'll er- be right back."

After removing Grimmjow's hand from his shirt, Ichigo jogged through the house to his room and shrugged a backpack over his shoulders. It was only a couple minutes into their date and he'd already managed to make himself look like a complete idiot. _Twice._ That had to be some sort of pathetic record for the charts of date failure.

Stopping by the bathroom to check that his hair wasn't too crazy, Ichigo sighed at his reflection and headed back out. He really hoped he wasn't forgetting anything else or he'd have to consider calling the whole date off in order to end what he was sure would be an evening of screw ups.

"Maybe I should have given you an extra hour after all, pri-"

"Don't call me that. Or kid. Or any other weird ideas you might get based on what my name means. I'm gay, not a fruit. Got it?" Ichigo's ears burned in embarrassment, and in the back of his mind, a part of him felt bad for how pushy he just sounded. But really, enough was enough with the damned nick names.

Grimmjow's eyebrows had arched into his bangs, one hand coming up on his hip. "Whatever you say, Ichigo. That's okay to call you, right?" Not that Grimmjow really cared, he just loved seeing the frustrated look on Ichigo's face and the way his cheeks and eyes brightened. If Ichigo was any younger, he might have pinched his angry face. Hell, Grimmjow would do it anyway, if he didn't suspect it would be followed with a punch to his face.

"It's my name, dumbass. Why wouldn't that be okay?" Ichigo snapped, shouldering past Grimmjow to open the door. "Are we going or what?"

"You're the one that wasn't ready!" A couple confident strides and Grimmjow as sliding beyond Ichigo through the door, and he continued down the path to where his car was parked on the street.

"You just leave your car like that for anyone to hit?" Ichigo said from behind him.

Grimmjow stopped, casting a sharp look at Ichigo that stopped the redhead dead in his tracks. "Don't even say shit like that. If some fucker hit my car, I'd probably kill him," Grimmjow continued to glare until Ichigo backed away.

"Whoa, sheesh!" Ichigo raised his hands, a bit concerned by the serious look in Grimmjow's eyes.

"Just don't joke about that shit, okay?"

"Fine, I won't," Ichigo pulled his bag off his shoulders and pointed at the car door. "Can you unlock this, please?"

"I'll think about it," Grimmjow said, opening his own door and sitting down. He started the engine and grinned, not looking over to see the look of panic Ichigo was sure to have. He waited, revving the engine and dialing up the radio, buckling his seatbelt and taking his time. Finally, he cast a glance out of the passenger window, but what he saw wasn't the annoyed face of Ichigo waiting to be let in, but the tangerines retreating form as he stomped back toward his house.

"HEY!" Grimmjow cursed, mashing buttons to roll the windows down. "Where the fuck do you think you're going?" he hollered, leaning forward and attempting to unbuckle himself. "Get back here!"

Ichigo paused and turned his head. "So now you're going to let me in?"

"Not if you're so easily giving up on this date!"

Ichigo wavered for a moment, wondering how far to push the angry blunet. Then he turned fully around with a deep sigh. "Unlock the door."

"I will, just get over here."

Crossing his arms, Ichigo lifted his chin. "No, do it now."

Grimmjow rolled his eyes, grumbling to himself while he hit the unlock trigger on his door. "There," he said, voice still strained over the sound of the music in his car. "Now come on before I waste all of my gas sitting in front of your house."

Ichigo didn't jog or hurry, but walked slowly back. He hurled the door open before throwing himself inside and slamming it shut behind him, feeling smug about the visible wince it caused his date. Turning to Grimmjow, the bartender let out a sigh. "Has anyone ever told you that you're kind of a dick?"

"Anyone ever tell you that you look like a peach?" Grimmjow shot back, not missing a beat.

"WHAT?"

"You know.. Fuzzy, orangish.." Grimmjow motioned toward Ichigo's head.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Ichigo yelled, unable to keep from laughing when a big grin spread over Grimmjow's face. "God, you are such an idiot."

Grimmjow didn't respond, but kept on laughing as he pulled away from Ichigo's house.

The ride was awkward for the first couple minutes as they both tried to decide if they should talk or just let the music do the distracting for them. Ichigo still didn't know where they were going, but had given up asking since he felt three times was more than enough, each time getting nothing more than "We'll see" or another question in return. Ichigo wasn't much for nagging and absolutely hated when others did that to him. So for about half an hour they stuck to relative silence with Ichigo only speaking up to mention he liked this or that song, or Grimmjow pointing out that they were almost there.

Ichigo started paying more attention the world outside the car when roads started looking unfamiliar, and his head turned about when Grimmjow took them down an exit road that led them straight into center of a neighboring city. Ichigo only ever been there to shop with Shinji and that was about as scarce an occurrence as he could swindle. The blond insisted this particular mall had a better variety but Ichigo couldn't tell the difference. It was all the same to him.

"Been down here before?" Grimmjow asked, navigating them into a parking garage and circling all the way up for an empty area to park.

Ichigo watched the levels go by and shrugged. "A few times," He decided to leave the shopping and Shinji out of the conversation for obvious reasons. It seemed like Grimmjow had more than enough ammo for poking fun at him and there wasn't any reason for him to add to the pile.

Grimmjow finally parked at the very top level of the garage and then shut off his car, adjusting his jacket after unfastening his belt. "Ready to walk?"

Ichigo simply nodded and got out of the car, coming up next to the other man as they moved toward the stair well. By then, Ichigo had grown a hundred times more curious. If the place Grimmjow intended to take him was within walking distance, then it was likely not the mall because that was at least a dozen blocks down and had much closer parking areas. Ichigo searched his mind to remember anything of note nearby, but found that he had little knowledge of the other buildings or anything else that didn't involve a pricy clothing store.

"You don't mind just hanging out, do you? I'm kind of winging it here," Grimmjow glanced sidelong at Ichigo, noting the way his eyes darted around curiously. Someone needed to tell Ichigo not to look so damned thoughtful all the time. It was too...distracting. The sight made Grimmjow lose his footing while he walked down the stairs and he cursed out loud, catching himself on the railing. Ichigo snickered and called him an idiot once more in an amused tone.

"I didn't have any plans either, so this works," Ichigo eventually answered, smiling over at his clumsy date. It didn't seem like they were doing anything other than casually passing time, which was nice. Sure, he was glad to be with Grimmjow, but he didn't feel quite as nervous as he thought he would be. Then again, it wasn't as if they didn't already have a couple nights of fun before tonight. Ichigo thought things were so much more natural than a jittery, typical first outing with a guy he didn't know. Come to think of it, he _didn't_ know Grimmjow all that well. That was what the date was for though, right?

When they came to the end of the stairs, Grimmjow stopped for a moment, getting his bearings while glancing around. When recognition struck, Grimmjow looked over at Ichigo apprehensively. For a moment, he looked to be considering Ichigo's face as if he'd just seen it for the first time.

"What?" Ichigo asked.

Grimmjow looked around again and sighed. As usual, Ichigo was going to make this difficult, which shouldn't have surprised him. _Might as well get it over with_. Grimmjow held his hand out toward Ichigo with a slight frown turning down the edges of his mouth. "Well? Let's go."

"Are..." Ichigo tried not to laugh but failed entirely. "Are you trying to hold my hand?"

"Yeah. What about it?" Grimmjow dropped his hand and took off down the sidewalk, intent on making that little moment of embarrassment as painless as possible, but Ichigo stopped him by grabbing his wrist.

"Wait. I- I didn't mean..." Ichigo released his wrist, letting his hand fall down against Grimmjow's as he weaved their fingers together loosely. "I'm ready," he said, looking up into wide, azure eyes and smiling genuinely.

Grimmjow shook his head. "Well, alright then."

* * *

><p>"You aren't gonna ask me more questions are you?"<p>

"I already told you, I just want to see you," Shinji whined, tired of explaining himself. There were plenty of other questions he wanted ask Nnoitra, but there would be time for that later. He rolled over on his back, stretching his legs on the bed with one hand holding the phone to his face. "I know you said you had to work today, but don't you get off sometime soon?"

"Tch," Nnoitra didn't actually have to work that day and hadn't been assigned a job for over a week. It worked out well because of Shinji's sudden appearance in his life and all of the time the blond took up, but Nnoitra had to wonder how long he could keep up the lies. Shinji was too curious for his own good and if things got any more serious, he was going to have to think up something more convincing, or tell the blond the truth.

Truth just didn't seem a viable option for Nnoitra seeing as Grimmjow was in the process of deceiving Shinji's best friend. Or at least, he was supposed to be, but it seemed to Nnoitra that the guy was acting more like himself than he had in a long time. "I'll be over in an hour and a half. No talking this time, if you know what I mean."

Shinji smiled and rolled himself out of bed to start searching through the bottom drawer of his dresser. "I think I have just the thing for that."

"Oh yeah? Well get yourself ready 'cause I'm not holding back. See ya in a while," Nnoitra ended the call and let out a sigh. He'd been lucky that Shinji didn't push with more questions, but it wasn't going to be that way forever.

* * *

><p>"You were right, that was damn good pizza," Ichigo sat back in the wooden chair, rubbing his full belly. He was surprised, he'd never even heard of the place and it was the best pizza he could remember tasting. Then again, he was very hungry.<p>

"See? Man, I know what I'm talking about when it comes to food," Grimmjow was glad for the large umbrella over their outdoor table, because it was a particularly hot day with no breeze. In fact, it looked like it was going to be the perfect day for what he had planned.

"Are you any good at cooking?" Ichigo asked, reaching across the table to steal Grimmjow's sunglasses and slide them onto his face.

"Actually..." Grimmjow paused and studied the silly tangerine. Any other day, he might have seen that as an opening, something to transition into the topic of Ichigo's personal life. But what was the sense in killing the mood? "Heh, never mind."

"Oh, don't be stupid," Ichigo scolded with mock seriousness, wiggling his eyebrows from behind the shades. "I bet these look awesome on me, yeah?"

In actuality, they looked ridiculous, but Grimmjow wasn't about to correct him. He scraped a fingernail over the side of his empty glass and looked up into Ichigo's shaded eyes. "My mother was teaching me how to cook for a while," He watched Ichigo's face grow serious, the dumb smile falling away. _Damn it_. Damn Ichigo's curiosity and his sudden willingness to be honest. It was all for the job, Grimmjow told himself that over and over. "It was a long time ago. I don't even remember anything," he covered, hoping they could just move on.

"Ah," Ichigo pulled the glasses off, realizing the moment wasn't so funny anymore. "Do you mind if I ask about them?"

"There's not much to ask about. They travelled a lot and kind of took off after I went into high school. Who knows where they are now," Grimmjow leaned back and closed his eyes for a moment. Why on earth was he telling Ichigo all of this? "I get the feeling they never intended to have me in the first place, so I try not to make that a big deal about it."

"Grimmjow.."

"Don't, it's cool. They were great and all when I was little, but travelling can be rough when you don't know any better. Hard to make friends and stuff.. you get the point," Grimmjow feigned a smile, but Ichigo caught the sadness in his eyes. _Fuck_.

The both of them fell silent, Ichigo picking at his plate and scowling to himself. "I lived in the same place until... my mom passed," Ichigo lowered his eyes to the table, trying not to get too emotional in such a public place. It seemed only fair that he share something after Grimmjow did. "Believe it or not, I used to live on a big farm. Chickens, cows, the whole deal."

"Really?" Grimmjow grinned. "Did you grow any straw-?"

"Don't. Even."

Grimmjow dropped his head back and laughed at the look on Ichigo's face. "Okay, sorry."

After paying for their meal -Grimmjow insisting it was his treat- the two walked out in the middle of an open plaza, Ichigo smiling at the birds skittering away when they passed. Ichigo was just about to insist Grimmjow let him pay for a movie, or something that would last the rest of their date when he spotted a familiar raven haired male, wandering in their general direction. "Oh, perfect."

"What?" Grimmjow's heart raced for a moment, as he thought maybe Ichigo had figured out what he planned. He opened his mouth to explain, but Ichigo spoke first.

"I can't believe he's here. This must be some sort of karma thing," Ichigo stopped walking and turned to the side, attempting to hide his face.

"Huh?" Grimmjow stopped too, and followed Ichigo's sidelong glare to a scrawny, four eyed male. "Who, that guy? Is he an ex or something?"

"Ugh, no. He's an old acquaintance of mine. We never got along very well ..and I may have screwed up a date he was on recently," Ichigo silently wished he'd brought a hoodie along to cover himself.

"So you think he might be out for revenge?" Grimmjow guessed.

"Possibly. More than anything, I just don't want to have to hear his whiny voi-"

"Ichigo? Hey, Ichigo!" Uryu waved and jogged over.

Ichigo sighed and turned toward the raven. "Damn, he saw me."

"Fancy meeting you here," Uryu said in greeting, an all too smug look on his face. He eyeballed Grimmjow slowly, making Ichigo narrow his eyes at the suspicious act "And this is?" Uryu asked.

"Grimmjow Jaegerjaques, Ichigo's boyfriend," Grimmjow stated proudly. "We're on our first date," he continued, avoiding the sputtering cough and burning glare that Ichigo shot him.

"A date? Well isn't that... interesting," Uryu adjusted his glasses to look down his nose at Ichigo. "And what might you two have planned in this area?"

Ichigo sighed again. "I don't know. He won't tell me," _What the hell was up with Grimmjow?_

"That's because it's a surprise,_ Ichi_," Grimmjow said, again in that tone Ichigo wasn't familiar with. It was overly sweet and very unlike his usual tone. Because Ichigo knew how Grimmjow normally talked, the fake politeness was well spotted, though Uryu didn't seem to notice.

"Then why don't we let Uryu go so you can _surprise_ me?" Ichigo growled, just wanting to get out of there as soon as possible.

"Ichigo always was the impatient one," Uryu chuckled and Grimmjow did too, yanking Ichigo closer and wrapping an arm around his shoulder.

"And you were always a pretentious a-"

"Look at the time!" Grimmjow cut in. "We'd better go, huh, Ichi?" Grimmjow started to drag Ichigo off, surprised when the tangerine put up a good fight for a couple of seconds. "It was nice to meet you, Uryu. Have a delightful day!" Grimmjow sang.

"When the fuck did you get so polite?" Ichigo accused, jerking away from the strange, new Grimmjow when Uryu was out of sight.

"Let's just say it comes with the job description." _Shit_.

"That reminds me, what do you do anyway?" Ichigo straightened his shirt as Grimmjow guided him in what he assumed was a random direction.

"I suppose you wouldn't believe me if I said that I'm a car salesman?" Grimmjow asked, tone not sounding entirely serious.

"I don't know, it's your career," Ichigo frowned. Did that count as Grimmjow avoiding the question?

"Hm, might have to work on that one then," There was a silence and Grimmjow turned toward Ichigo. "So I noticed you didn't mind that I called myself your boyfriend."

Ichigo blanched. "Wh...well, you kind of are. I mean, if you're okay with that. I know you haven't really-"

"Is that a yes?"

Ichigo laughed and rubbed a hand over his face. "Yeah, sure. That's a yes," Before Ichigo had the chance to freak out properly or further embarrass himself, his phone buzzed and he pulled it out of his pocket to read the new text.

_"Byakuya came. FML." - Tensa._

Ichigo texted back quickly and smiled while tucking his phone back in his pocket. He was definitely glad to have been busy today so he didn't have to attend Rukia and Renji's little get together. Ichigo loved his friends and all, but Byakuya was kind of a mood killer.

"What was that about?" Grimmjow peered over at Ichigo as he smiled strangely.

"Just a bullet we dodged today."

Grimmjow grabbed Ichigo's arm to stop him from walking.

"What? It was just Tensa talking about-"

"No, that's not it," Grimmjow was looking around in a weird way. Like he'd seen something he wasn't sure he imagined.

"Well then why are we stopping here?" Ichigo attempted to determine Grimmjow's intent, but it wasn't so clear as it was when he acted with Uryu. He supposed he didn't know this man as well as he thought, but he found himself wanting to know, to learn each of his mannerisms and moods, even the bad ones. Would Grimmjow always be a mystery to him?

"I want to show you something," the blunet said slowly.

"Grimmjow, there's nothing here but concrete."

"For now," Grimmjow grinned and glanced at his watch. "That should change right about...now."

Ichigo blinked, one eyebrow arching while he waited for the so-called thing Grimmjow wanted to show him to arrive.

Then, with a rush of sound, two columns of water shot from the ground on either side of them, spraying into the air and pouring back down to fall around them. Grimmjow looked on anxiously as Ichigo stared wide eyed at ongoing spray of water, various jets shooting off toward the bright sky. Slowly, the tangerine turned toward his date, face still pale and unbelieving. They were standing in the middle of a big plaza just _full_ of upward spraying fountains. How had that little fact managed to slip by him?

"What do you think?" Grimmjow crossed his arms over his chest, ready for whatever reaction Ichigo would give him. He looked surprisingly calm for a man standing in the midst of an upside down monsoon.

A smile crept onto Ichigo's face and he let a hand stray out into a nearby rising stream. "Shut..." he said, under his breath, then turned back to Grimmjow, shaking the water from his hand. "Shut the front door!"

Grimmjow screwed up his face, head jerking back while his lips twitched. "Where the hell did you get that saying?"

Ichigo laughed and shrugged. "Shinji," He took another look at the rising and falling fountains of water around them then grabbed Grimmjow's shirt, tugging him closer. "This is awesome!"

Grimmjow nodded, letting his hands come up to rest on Ichigo's waist. "It's cooler at night because the lights are all colored and glowing, but I didn't know how long you wanted to hang out today."

Ichigo pulled Grimmjow closer, laying a swift kiss on his lips that, combined with the flow of air and water around them, brought the hair on Grimmjow's arms to stand on end. When he pulled back, Ichigo shifted on his feet anxiously. "I love it. But.."

"But...?"

Ichigo took a step backward, widening his grin. "But now you're going to have to catch me!" With that, he tore off behind a few taller streams of water and laughed when he heard heavy, wet footsteps behind him. It took all of ten seconds for Grimmjow to catch him and then they were pushing each other into the up shooting streams, resulting in both of them getting soaked to the bone, hair flat about their faces.

Grimmjow batted at a torrent, effectively splashing it in Ichigo's face and started to back away, unknowingly placing himself right over one of the fountains that had died down for a second. In the precise moment following, the water shot back up beneath Grimmjow, nailing him right between the legs. With a yelp, he stepped back shakily, eyes bulging as Ichigo laughed freely at his misfortune.

"That's what happens when you call someone stupid names!" Ichigo shouted above the noise, and Grimmjow growled, regaining his posture and starting in Ichigo's direction.

"Now…" Grimmjow wiped a hand over his forehead to slick his bangs from his eyes. "You're gonna get it!"

Seeing the vicious look on Grimmjow's face, Ichigo backed up and let out a very unmanly scream before speeding off as fast as he could.

* * *

><p>"I think what my brother means to ask is where do you work, Shiro?" Rukia asked, smiling with one hand rubbing a slow circle over her stomach.<p>

Renji started to scoot closer to her on the love seat, but froze when Byakuya shot him a dangerous look. Even if he was married to Rukia, Byakuya still made him feel like a perverted boyfriend trying to ruin Rukia's innocence. Not that she hadn't lost that long, long ago, much earlier than Renji had been in the picture. Then again, he wasn't exactly the image of purity, either.

Tensa spoke up in the silence, smiling to everyone before turning to Shiro. "You'll have to forgive my friends, they're very protective."

"That's right!" Renji said, nodding firmly. "Tensa hardly EVER dates anyone, so this is kind of a big-Ow! Why'd you hit me?" Renji frowned at Rukia and rubbed his arm. "What the hell," he mumbled.

"Tensa is just more careful than others on who he chooses to be with. There's nothing wrong with that," Rukia said, receiving a nod from her brother. "Maybe I should have done the same thing," she added with an accusing glance in Renji's direction.

"What?" Renji asked, still nursing his arm. "What's that supposed to mean?"

* * *

><p>Both a sopping mess, Grimmjow and Ichigo trekked back to the parking garage. Ichigo was blushing madly the entire time, thinking about the way Grimmjow had tackled him to the ground –scaring a nearby woman and her child in the process- and an unrestrained, thorough kiss was laid on Ichigo that left him speechless for the whole walk.<p>

When they reached Grimmjow's car, Ichigo waited while the other opened the trunk and took out two towels. Grimmjow tossed one over the car at Ichigo and said it was for the seat, then unlocked the doors and sat with his own towel folded beneath him.

"So you planned this from the beginning?" Ichigo asked after opening his door and tossing his towel on the seat. He bent forward and started squeezing some of the water from his jeans and shirt. Suddenly, it made sense that he was told to bring a change of clothes. Here he had been expecting something much more serious.

"It was something I was considering," Grimmjow switched on the air conditioning and tilted his head back, smiling. "Like I said, I didn't know how much time you planned to spend with me today. If you've still got time, we can head back to my place for a while and relax. It's nice out and all, but I can only take so much heat."

"Fine with me," Ichigo shook out his hair then sat down on his towel, smiling over at Grimmjow as the man closed his door and took them back out of the garage. Grimmjow's place proved to be much closer to the city than Ichigo's, and soon enough they were out of the car and in front of the door.

Ichigo stared at it warily, biting his lip while tightening his grip on the strap of the bag over his shoulder. _Hang out. All we're going to do is hang out. Don't expect more, he's not even sure he's gay._

After unlocking the door, Grimmjow looked back at Ichigo and rolled his eyes. "Come on, it's just me and my girl tonight."

Ichigo was half a second from berating Grimmjow for calling him a chick when Grimmjow quickly pushed inside the door and started calling out for someone named 'Tera baby'

Ichigo's stomach dropped and his mind went wild with questions. Had he sent Grimmjow mixed signals or made some sort of mistake? Maybe Grimmjow thought it was okay to date a guy _and_ a girl? Oh, fuck that! The _nerve_ of that freaking jacka-

"There she is. Hey Sweetie!" Grimmjow greeted happily from around the corner.

Ichigo cringed, dragging his feet to peek at what he was already convinced would be Grimmjow's gorgeous girlfriend. She had to be wonderful if Grimmjow was talking like _that_ to her. Maybe it was that blond woman from back in the bar? God, what an awkward situation that would be.

Searching the room as he rounded the corner, Ichigo found that the so-called "girl" was a lot more _furry_ than he expected.

Grimmjow cradled a sleek, white kitten in his muscular arms, cooing at it softly like it were a baby. He looked up for a moment, spotting Ichigo's pale face and he frowned, adjusting his hold on the kitten while it squirmed in his arms. "You okay? Shit, you aren't allergic, are you?"

Ichigo just stared for another moment then snapped himself out of it. _Talk about jumping to conclusions!_

The kitty was almost completely white with little black feet and the most lovely pale, blue eyes. Without a doubt, Ichigo's fears had been melted when a soft mewl traveled the room and drew him in. "No. I just didn't know you had any pets."

"Ah. Well, it's just Pantera here. I call her Tera for short because Pant or Panty sounds kind of ..perverted?"

Ichigo nodded and stepped closer, reaching out to scratch behind Tera's ears. "She's adorable," he said, smiling when the kitten purred under his touch.

Grimmjow grinned, eyes only for Ichigo. Only Nnoitra and Shiro had officially met the kitten yet and both times, Tera had gone scurrying to the closest hide out she could find. It was a little weird that she took to Ichigo so easily, but Grimmjow wasn't about to question it.

When the room grew quiet, Tera squirmed, growing uncomfortable against Grimmjow's wet shirt, and he let go when one of her claws raked across his bare arm. "Shit, fine. Go already!" he said, letting her leap to the ground and trot away.

Ichigo smirked and lured Grimmjow forward with a hand on his arm, just above the scratch. Grimmjow didn't fight the pull, or the kiss Ichigo gave him, only grunting contentedly into the affection.

"What do you think about soaking in my hot tub, since we're already wet?" Grimmjow murmured. The tangerine drew closer, pressing their damp bodies and cold clothes together while breathing out a response of "Kay."

Grimmjow pulled back, leaving Ichigo with another dizzying smile. "Let me get us some drinks then and I'll meet you outside."

Ichigo watched Grimmjow pad off toward the kitchen, somehow managing to look gorgeous with his clothes sagging around his frame. Glancing in the direction of the sliding glass door across the room, Ichigo swayed that way, then turned and headed to the kitchen instead.

When Ichigo came into the room, Grimmjow was fussing over a glass that he apparently didn't think was clean enough, and Ichigo stepped up behind him, letting his lips graze over the back of his ear. Both of his hands slid up either of Grimmjow's thighs then slowed at his waist, lifting Grimmjow's limp shirt to pull it up over his head.

Grimmjow set down the glass his was holding and raised his arms. Warm lips pressed against the back of his neck and he closed his eyes. It had taken two tries, but Grimmjow was getting used to the feel of a man standing behind him like that. "Someone's impatient," he said, not entirely sure his voice carried enough for Ichigo to hear.

Ichigo smiled against his skin. His fingers trailed over Grimmjow's shoulders and he followed the touch with soft kisses before moving back and breathing over the small dips and curves of his spine. He kissed one spot tentatively, letting his hands circle Grimmjow's waist and he licked the kiss-dampened skin, closing his eyes when Grimmjow groaned heatedly.

Ichigo stepped back after another quiet moment and let his eyes fall slowly down Grimmjow's back, arms unhooking from Grimmjow's body to trail downward, only halting when his exploring fingers met and traced a dark, black colored six tattooed on Grimmjow's back. Ichigo raised an eyebrow, about to ask about it when his eyes dropped further, and he saw the silver handle of a pistol hanging over the hem of Grimmjow's pants.

"Wha-..." Ichigo backed up and gulped. _What the fuck was that doing there?_

Grimmjow started to say "Why did you stop?" But interrupted himself to huff out a deep sigh. Of course, _the gun_. He was screwing up all sorts of things today. The blunet turned around while pulling the weapon from the back of his pants. "I totally forgot about that. Sorry if I scared you."

"W-why..." Ichigo pressed back against the counter behind him and eyed Grimmjow before glancing back down at the gun in his hand. "Is that thing loaded?" he squeaked, coughing afterward and averting his eyes. It wasn't _that_ big of a deal, was it? Okay, it kind of was.

"Why would I carry it if it wasn't?" Grimmjow sighed again and removed the magazine, setting it aside and holding the mostly harmless weapon out in one hand. "Look, it's not going to hurt anyone now. I didn't bring it because of you or anything like that, it's just a habit."

"But why would you even need something like that? You aren't really a car salesman...are you?"

Grimmjow frowned and carried the gun and clip away, planning on shoving it in a drawer, out of sight to ease Ichigo enough to talk. To his surprise, Ichigo stopped him when the drawer was open and looked up into his eyes.

"I just want to know why you have this," Ichigo said, somehow managing to look calm. Was it a sign that Ichigo so easily switched between moods?

"For safety," Grimmjow put simply and rolled his eyes when Ichigo deadpanned. "It has to do with my past. I don't always feel safe on my own, that's all. You don't have to worry, nothing's going to happen to you here."

"Unless you shoot me on accident," Ichigo said, jaw setting tightly while looking down at how Grimmjow held the gun. So casually, like it belonged there. Ichigo licked his lips. Why was that…so _hot_?

"That is never going to happen, Ichigo," Grimmjow paused as Ichigo started smiling. "What's up with you all of a sudden?"

"It's kind of sexy that you have this, I'm not going to lie," Ichigo let Grimmjow's hand go, but kept looking between the gun and his new boyfriends face.

"Are you serious? You were just shitting bricks about it a minute ago."

"I got over it," Ichigo shrugged.

Ichigo had a dangerous look in his eyes, one Grimmjow wasn't sure if he liked. Not unlike the look Ichigo gave him back on the beach, right before he ran off, leaving Grimmjow wondering why he hadn't gotten a kiss. No, it was worse than that. Or was it better? Grimmjow couldn't decide. The blunet had never considered that someone might be attracted to that sort of thing.

Suddenly, Ichigo pinned Grimmjow against the dresser and grabbed the gun, directing it to his chest. "See, now this is why it's hot."

"Because you like getting shot?" Grimmjow asked incredulously. "You're stupid if you think that feels good!" Grimmjow felt very uncomfortable with Ichigo's sudden change of heart, but it still sparked something in him, a flame he couldn't extinguish once he met Ichigo's determined gaze instead of avoiding it. Maybe the situation was strange, but Ichigo's sudden passion was weirdly a turn on.

"It's not about the bullets," Ichigo whispered. "I know it's not even loaded."

"Well there might still be a b-"

"It's about the danger," Ichigo said, pressing himself against the pistol harder and stealing a kiss from Grimmjow with both arms wrapping around his neck. Ichigo's life was never dangerous, always safe. The most reckless thing he did anymore was surf, which wasn't all that big of a deal because he knew what he was doing. Sure, sometimes he'd go out during a storm, but that was hardly as exciting as having something like _that_ against his chest.

Ichigo knew he shouldn't have trusted Grimmjow already, especially when he had no true explanation for his boyfriend owning such a thing, but a little part of him didn't want to know. The mystery was so much more thrilling right now, so Ichigo threw himself into the moment and the kiss, hoping he wouldn't regret it. For once, he wanted to act before he thought.

Grimmjow took his first chance during the kiss to aim the weapon away and set it on the dresser behind him. Only then did he pull Ichigo in closer, ignoring his whine and stifling it with his tongue. Ichigo moaned and dropped his head forward, licking his lips to savor Grimmjow's taste.

"Come on, let's get outside," Grimmjow urged, deciding to lift Ichigo into his arms when the young man wouldn't budge. He squeezed Ichigo's butt, noting the significance of enjoying the action, then took them through the kitchen, grabbing their drinks while Ichigo held on tight. Grimmjow brought him outside, letting Ichigo down on his feet while doing his best to keep from spilling anything from the two glasses he held. After setting them down, Grimmjow started loosening his belt, then pushed off his pants before leaning over to uncover the hot tub and turn on the jets.

Ichigo peeled off his long sleeved shirt, eyeing the other man as he dropped his own pants. "I've only ever been in one of these once," he said, smiling when Grimmjow stepped in and grabbed his arm to bring him in.

"Yeah?" Grimmjow sank into the water and sighed, angling his back against one of the jets so it hit him just right. "I love this thing. It's so nice to come home to after a long day."

"Was today so bad?" Ichigo teased, scooting up next to Grimmjow and dropping his head on the man's shoulder. "I thought it was fun."

"It was fun," Grimmjow confirmed. After a moment, he draped an arm over Ichigo's shoulders and closed his eyes.

"So what's with the six?" Ichigo asked, biting his lips when Grimmjow didn't respond for a while. "If it's too personal-"

"It kind of is, but I guess I can tell you it has to do with the same thing as the gun."

"Are you in a gang or something? 'Cause I should probably know that now.." Ichigo trailed off until Grimmjow shut him up with a hand on his cheek and a gentle peck on the lips.

"You've got some kind of crazy imagination, Ichigo," Grimmjow whispered.

Ichigo smiled and blushed, squirming away. "I think that's another thing I sort of got from Shinji. He has this uh, irregular job and I think he's perfect for it, but he always tries to get me into it and it's just not my thing… Anyway, now I'm on this weird wave length with him and we get a lot of weird looks when we're together. Everybody thinks we're dating."

"It seems like that's the story with a lot of your friends," Grimmjow observed, watching the tangerine closely.

"I'm just close with them," Ichigo insisted. "That's all."

"So what does Shinji do that's so _irregular_?"

"Are you sure you want to know?" Ichigo shifted on his butt and lifted his legs to drape them over Grimmjow's lap, then he scooted closer and pressed his cold nose against Grimmjow's neck. "He's sort of a dancer," he said with his voice coming softly against Grimmjow's skin.

"Like ballet?" Grimmjow grabbed his drink and sipped on it thoughtfully before setting it aside again. Why didn't it bother him that Ichigo kept invading his personal space?

"No," Ichigo chuckled. "But I wouldn't put him past him to do something like that."

"Okay, now I'm curious."

"He's kind of a like a host, but more intimate," Ichigo waved his hands around vaguely and dropped them on Grimmjow's chest, tracing its clear definition. "He dances for them, sits in their laps and such."

"For girls or other gay guys?" Grimmjow wasn't sure why he cared, but he'd do whatever he had to do to keep Ichigo touching him like that. He was talking freely and for maybe the third time that day, not scowling as he normally did.

"Mostly men, though I'm sure some girls would love to be his client."

"And he talks about it with you?" Grimmjow's eyes drifted shut as Ichigo's fingers grazed past his nipples in a slow, downward movement. Taking deep breaths wasn't working anymore. Nothing seemed to stall his arousal when Ichigo's warm hands were on his body. It didn't even matter where.

"Yeah," Ichigo sat back, looking up into Grimmjow's half closed eyes. "He even taught me to dance, though it's not like I'll ever-"

"Show me," Grimmjow's eyes popped open, and his face was all seriousness. "Now."

"I thought we were relaxing! Besides, I'm _so_ not showing you that."

Grimmjow snorted, sitting back again and stretching his legs. "Tease."

"Maybe I am," Ichigo said, leaning in to kiss Grimmjow's collarbone. "But I can promise that you'll love it when I _do_ tease you."

"What I'd love is if you just got to the point," Grimmjow said, sounding strained but not quite as unsure as he should have been. Being cocky was a much more comfortable way to handle Ichigo's advances.

"Oh come on, don't you like foreplay?"

Grimmjow adjusted his legs again and frowned at the brown eyes staring up at him. Ichigo seriously knew how to use those looks as a weapon and he wasn't holding anything back just because he had an advantage. "Maybe, if you make it worth my time."

Ichigo smirked. "That's more like it."

Grimmjow lifted his arms behind his head and closed his eyes. "Here I am, waiting on you again."

"I didn't say now!" Ichigo flinched when a pain throbbed in his head; the headache from earlier surging back into his temples. His shoulders slumped and he let out a sigh. "Great."

"Way to look completely uninterested," Grimmjow drawled, slitting an eye open.

"It's not that," Ichigo groaned and rubbed his eyes. "My migraine from earlier just came back."

"How come you never mentioned it?" Grimmjow dropped his arms back down and turned toward Ichigo, pulling him closer. "Come here, I might be able to help."

Ichigo allowed himself to be pulled into Grimmjow's lap, facing him. A knowing smile spread on his face when he felt the unmistakable beginnings of an erection beneath him.

"Just ignore that," Grimmjow growled, letting his hands trail up Ichigo's arms until he reached his neck and pressed at the back of it with practiced fingers. "Try and relax or this won't work."

Ichigo nodded his head forward and closed his eyes. Relaxing was easier said than done, but he did his best. The redhead took to breathing deeply while Grimmjow gradually massaged his stress away. He was pleasantly surprised when, after a few moments, the pain receded and dulled to only a fraction of the original ache. With a relieved sigh, Ichigo crumbled forward, letting his lips fall gracelessly against Grimmjow's in his own form of appreciation.

They kissed indolently for a time, soft lips on wet ones and closed eyes. Grimmjow still fought with the need building in his lower half with Ichigo incessantly squirming on top of him and moaning into his mouth. Grimmjow's warm hands traveled down Ichigo's body, rubbing over his hips, then coming back up to brush his fingers over the softly colored freckles along Ichigo's shoulders. Ichigo smiled and withdrew from the kiss to press their foreheads together. They continued by only breathing and thinking, hands moving over each other smoothly through the water.

Minutes later, pain throbbed behind Ichigo's eyes and he winced, scrunching his brow. "I'm sorry, this is kind of messing me up," He lifted a hand from the water to rub across his face. "Maybe I should go."

Grimmjow frowned at him but nodded. He considered offering to let Ichigo stay, but decided otherwise, convincing himself that he wanted to respect Ichigo and that he wasn't just being a chicken. Giving Ichigo another kiss, Grimmjow waited for the tangerine to move and stepped out of the warm water. "Get dressed and then when you're ready, I'll take you home."

Ichigo wandered back inside, a little guilty about the wet trail he was leaving behind. He quickly found his bag to change into dry clothes and wandered off to locate the bathroom. It sucked having to leave so soon, and Ichigo had almost hoped Grimmjow would let him stay, but he knew he wouldn't be any fun whining about a headache all night. When he was ready, he came out to find Grimmjow tugging on a dry shirt and they smiled at each other. Grimmjow jerked his head in the direction of the front door and Ichigo followed him out.

The drive back was silent, Grimmjow having turned the music off to keep from irritating Ichigo's migraine any more than it already was, then he escorted the tangerine to the door for the second time, not hesitating to take his chance to kiss Ichigo once more before pausing a moment to stare in his weary eyes.

"You should call me if you're feeling better tomorrow."

Ichigo bit his lip and looked away. "I'm going to be busy all day."

"Doing?"

"I have this stupid photo shoot that I agreed to do like three months ago. Then I'm going over to my dad's place to hang out with the family. If I didn't think it would be incredibly boring for you, I'd say you should go."

Grimmjow arched a brow in interest. "Then say it, 'cause that doesn't sound boring at all."

"Really? You'll just be standing around all day while I basically run errands."

"What's wrong with that? Unless you don't want me around.." Grimmjow grinned, guilt was his best weapon.

Ichigo eyed Grimmjow and suddenly grabbed the front of his shirt. "I always want you around," he admitted quietly and felt himself blush when Grimmjow chuckled and stole another kiss. Ichigo held him close, not letting the blunet stray until he was sure he was satisfied.

"Do you want me to meet you somewhere?" Grimmjow mumbled. "Or are you going to pick me up?"

"I should probably come get you. It's going to be around noon, is that okay?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Kay, well I'll call you for instructions when I'm ready to come over," Ichigo turned toward the door, then paused to look back. "Thanks for today."

"Hold on," Grimmjow tapped Ichigo's shoulder for him to turn back around. He'd almost forgot about it completely.

"Eh?"

"I've got something…for you," Grimmjow went digging in his jacket pocket and pulled out a small item, closed in his fist. "Hold out your hand," he commanded gruffly, frowning when Ichigo did so hesitantly. Grimmjow pressed his fist on top of Ichigo's hand, then slowly opened it, letting a small, silver bracelet fall out in the tangerine's palm. "Since I broke the other one that you liked so much, I replaced it."

"Grimmjow.." Ichigo looked up at him and then stared down at his open hand dumbly. "That one was made of plastic!"

"Yeah, and that's why it broke. This one should last you much longer," Grimmjow shrugged, it was common sense.

"But we just started- I mean- I didn't expect.." Ichigo scowled at the item, still holding it out like it might jump at him.

"Are you going to put it on or stare at it all night?"

"I…yeah. Let me just.." Ichigo finally picked it up with his other hand, holding it into the light to inspect it. It took a moment to find the clasp, then he brought it close to his face, attempting to unfasten it so he could put it on.

After a pathetic moment of struggling on Ichigo's part, Grimmjow sighed and took it back. Ichigo gave him a sad look, lost puppy eyes and all, and Grimmjow rolled his eyes, grabbing the kids' wrist and positioning the small bracelet over it. When it was secured, he traced one finger around Ichigo's wrist and smiled. "Looks good on you."

"Thanks," Ichigo said softly. He still wasn't sure what to think. Nobody had ever gotten him something like that. "I..you know I only liked the other one because it was from our first date."

"Well now you've got one that'll actually last until the next date," Grimmjow beamed happily, glad that Ichigo seemed to like it. The whole thing could have gone a different way. Grimmjow wasn't sure if the tangerine would be appalled or think that he was being treated like a girl.

"So.." Ichigo folded his arms, unable to help smiling at the cool slide of the bracelet over his arm. "You want another date?"

"Obviously, but don't go expecting new jewelry every time. This is sort of a one-time deal."

Ichigo blushed, but couldn't come up with a reply, so he just smiled.

Grimmjow shook his head. _Too fucking cute_. Slipping a hand into the pocket of his jeans, he took out a small carton and nodded at Ichigo. "Good night," he breathed, leaning forward to peck Ichigo on the cheek before heading back to his car with an unlit cigarette placed between his lips.

When he heard Ichigo's front door click shut and lowered himself back into his car, it dawned on Grimmjow that he'd shared more about himself during the day than Ichigo had, and that probably wasn't ideal. On most of his jobs, he'd have something to report by the second or third day, if not earlier, but with Ichigo, it had been almost a month with no results and he was sure that sooner or later he'd be getting some grief over it. At least for now, he'd try not to worry. It wouldn't do him any good anyway and the next day he was going to meet Ichigo's family, which was likely to reveal more than the tangerine realized about his life. Grimmjow just hoped that Sosuke wouldn't bother him before then.

* * *

><p>Ichigo threw back the covers and collapsed onto his bed. His phone lay on his chest, switched to speaker and he waited while it rang until Shinji picked up. While the blond rushed through his first million questions without pause, Ichigo reached out for the remote to the TV and flipped it on, immediately hitting the mute button so he could watch without further hurting his brain.<p>

"Slow down, Shinji. I still have a migraine."

"Still? Is that why you're home so early?"

Ichigo sighed. "It's midnight."

"Like I said," Shinji repeated. "You're home early."

Well, he had a point. "Yeah. I'm going to see him again tomorrow though."

"I thought Sundays were for family?"

"I'm still doing that. I have a shoot too but I'm going to pick Grimmjow up early and have him come along," Ichigo cringed when Shinji yammered excitedly about him taking someone to meet his family. At least he had been ready for that one.

"What does he think about going to meet them? This is so big, Ichigo!"

"It's really not. It's going to be casual, no big deal. My family doesn't even know he's coming yet."

"Oh, Yuzu is going to freak. I bet they'll love him."

Ichigo flipped the TV to another channel and shrugged to himself. "If they do, they do."

"Ichigo, don't try to act like this doesn't matter. Grimmjow is probably the third guy you've ever taken home since you told them you're gay. I think it's pretty cool that you're so relaxed about this, but you have to realize what it means."

"He's only the second guy and yeah, I get your point. I just don't want to get myself all worked up about it. I'm sure when I wake up, I'll be nervous enough as it is."

Shinji thought about that for a moment and Ichigo continued to flip through the channels silently. There was never anything on when he sat down to watch. Then when there was something, it was all commercials and hardly any show.

"So are you two ever going to fuck?"

Ichigo shot up in bed, sending his phone off of his chest and down between his legs. After much fumbling and finding it to turn it off speaker phone, he held it to his ear and swallowed before scolding his friend. "It isn't a race, Shinji. I know you're much more open in your relationships, but I don't want to rush him. Especially since he used to think he was straight," One hand came up, pressing against Ichigo's pounding head. "Man I don't even want to imagine what he's probably thinking every time we touch."

Shinji scoffed. "If he's smart, he's probably thinking he wants more. I bet he's more eager than you think. Oh, by the way! I heard you two fooled around at Hue-"

"Who the hell told you that?" Ichigo shouted, then closed his eyes and frowned. This was not helping his headache.

"So it's true!" Shinji all but screamed, making Ichigo hold the phone away for a moment. "Tell me all about it, like now."

"I'll sum it up-"

"No," Shinji shook his head. "Details."

"I'm not sitting here recalling every second of... you know, what we did, just so you can take some kind of freaky pleasure in the fact that I got him off."

"You made the first move? Wow Ichi, I didn't expect that. Tell me more."

"Damn it, Shinji. I never said that."

"More. More. More. More," Shinji chanted.

"You are impossible! Fine, I'll tell you, just shut up for a second."

Surprisingly, Shinji went silent and after an entire minute, Ichigo finally found the words to, as delicately as he could, retell what had happened on the beach. After explaining that Grimmjow had practically demanded a hand job, Shinji conceded to the fact that Ichigo wasn't exactly the one to make the first move, but he was kind of a tease. Ichigo had blushed while recapping the parts in the water, about Grimmjow touching him and him climbing in his lap, then somehow finding the guts to beg for more. Ichigo still wasn't sure what had come over him that night. Grimmjow was just too tempting.

"Wow," Shinji hummed. "So when's the rest going to happen?"

"It's not like I have it all planned out!"

"Maybe tomorrow..."

"Shinji!" By then, Ichigo had pulled the covers over his head and was hiding out in the darkness, avidly biting his nails. It made no sense to hide from somebody on the phone, but it made him feel better nonetheless. "So I asked Grim what he does earlier.."

"Yeah?" Shinji perked up. "And?"

"And.." Ichigo let out a long sigh. "He sort of avoided it. Unless he really is a car salesman and was embarrassed to say so."

"A car...what? Ichigo, that's obviously a lie. Not a very good one either."

"Well I don't know what you expect me to do about it."

"What kind of car salesman can afford a Maserati?"

"I..don't know? Maybe he sold it to himself," Ichigo laughed.

"You're dumb," Shinji stated flatly.

"You like it."

"Yeah..But seriously, what's up with the secrecy? Nnoi told me he sells houses _and_ works with Grimmjow and Shiro. But if Grimmjow says he sells cars.."

"So?"

"SO, that doesn't add up, that's what."

Ichigo laid back and huffed out a breath. "Explain to me why this matters again, Detective Shinji?"

"Oooh, I love when you call me that."

Ichigo rolled his eyes as Shinji giggled. "Why don't you have Tensa ask Shiro what he does? If we get another weird answer then we will start getting worried, okay?"

"Alright, but if he says something strange, we are so investigating this ourselves."

"Whatever you say, Shinji."

The line went silent for a few minutes as Ichigo shoved the blanket back off of his head and took a deep breath. He turned on his side, placing the phone in front of him and went back to watching the television until he heard somebody yelling on Shinji's end of the line.

"You ever comin' back?" Nnoitra shouted.

Shinji covered the phone and yelled back. "I need a break, you weren't kidding about not holding back," Shinji uncovered the phone and Ichigo could clearly hear Nnoitra cackling from the other room.

"Do you have him over, right now?" Ichigo asked, not sure if he wanted an answer.

"Yeah.. you wouldn't believe the night I had."

Ichigo's lip curled. "Something tells me I would believe it."

Shinji giggled again and got up from the couch where he'd been hiding out for a break. "Well I have to go."

"Kay, talk to you tomorrow." Ichigo said, eyes already shut and ready to sleep.

"Yep, bye."

Still naked, Shinji padded back into his bedroom to find Nnoitra reclined with what looked like one of his manga open across his lap. His hair was tied up loosely, parts of it hanging down in the front to frame his face. Shinji smiled and climbed up next to him, peeking over at the page the taller man was looking at. "Are you looking at yaoi while waiting for me to come back?" he asked, eyes going wide.

Nnoitra shrugged and tossed the book aside. "S'not as good as you, but I had to do something while you were chatting up your friends. Why do you have that stuff anyway? You've got me now."

"Because reading is much less taxing than pleasing you," Shinji said, grinning while leaning in to push a lock of hair from Nnoitra's face. He licked his lips and ran a hand over Nnoitra's chest. "I thought we said no talking today."

"Then put that gag back on, 'cause I think I'm ready for you to shut up again."

* * *

><p><strong>AN**:

Uuuugh. A chapter full of dialogue and I'm terrible at dialogue! At least the chapter was possibly entertaining?

Ichigo is such a nutcase in this, oh my god. Let's blame it on the migraine.

I'll see you all in about a week!


	6. Temperance

**Note:** This particular chapter is even longer than usual. I realize it's completely possible for me to split it up, but I would prefer not to.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Six: Temperance.<strong>

**OR**

**Having the talk.**

* * *

><p>The next morning Grimmjow woke with a jolt, almost toppling off of his bed when a loud pounding reverberated throughout the house. Strange, he could tell from just the sound that it was Nnoitra. When his attempts to shut out the noise with a pillow failed, Grimmjow stormed out to the front room without bothering to dress properly and ripped the door open.<p>

"Whoa, you're awake," Nnoitra said, looking truly surprised as a gruff voiced, crusty eyed Grimmjow squinted at him.

"That's because you woke me up, you dickless giant. Why'd you come over if you thought I wasn't awake?"

"'Cause I'm bored an if I fuck anything for the next 24 hours I think my shit might fall off," Nnoitra's eyes widened a little. "Che! Then I _would_ be a dickless giant!"

"That doesn't answer my question, but thanks for sharing," Grimmjow started to swing the door shut. "Now fuck off."

"Uh-uh, you aren't goin' back to bed at ten am," Nnoitra caught the door and shoved it open, stepping inside before Grimmjow could argue. "I'm already here and I don't feel like driving back home yet."

Grimmjow sighed, watching Nnoitra make his damn self at home. Why was it that all of his friends were assholes? Oh right, because he was one too and nobody else would put up with him. Besides Ichigo, that is. "Fine, come in. Do whatever the hell you want, but I have an hour left to sleep and you aren't screwing that up."

Nnoitra snorted. "You bet your ass I will. I have a question for you."

_Just great_, Grimmjow thought. "This better be good."

"For you, it ain't. For me…" The tall man shrugged lazily. "Well, we'll see."

"What is it already?"

Nnoitra's gaze shifted to the couch. "You may wanna sit for this…"

"For fuck sake, Nnoi!" Nnoitra's following smirk made Grimmjow uneasy, so he sat. He might as well indulge the freak so he could get back to his bed as soon as possible.

Grimmjow had to wonder how he always ended up in these situations, ones in which he had to compromise and let Nnoitra get his way because it was the less difficult path. He supposed it had something to do with the fact that Nnoitra was generally right, as much as he hated to admit it.

"Okay, so the question I had is…uh," Nnoitra sat down and glanced around awkwardly. "You know I don't give a fuck what you do, right?"

Grimmjow pinched the bridge of his nose and scrunched his eyes shut. "Nnoi!"

"Okay, okay, grumpy bitch!" Nnoitra cracked each of his knuckles, stalling uncharacteristically.

Whatever it was, Grimmjow was sure he wasn't going to like it.

"I was just gonna ask if you think you're … into guys. Like that Ichigo kid?"

Grimmjow deadpanned. Why did he have to deal with this shit in the morning? Just why? "You're a fucking idiot," Grimmjow abandoned the couch and bee lined for his bedroom.

"Hey! You can't even answer me?" Nnoitra hollered after him.

Grimmjow paused and grimaced. He really didn't want to be thinking about it, and even more, he didn't want to be talking about it. "What the hell do you expect me to say?"

"Yes? No? One of those."

A deep sigh from Grimmjow, then, "Yes, I'm totally gay for you and always have been," The blunet turned and eyed the other man without flinching and raised the pitch of his voice. "_Oh Nnoitra,_ I think I'm in love with you! Can I go to bed now?"

"No!" A violet eye rolled around in Nnoitra's head "If you really like Ichigo that way then I need to talk to you about somethin'."

"In that case, I don't. Good night."

Nnoitra snarled and got off the couch. He stomped over to Grimmjow and, against his better judgment, shoved the man against the wall. "Look you shit for brains, I know you really get in to your assignments and all, but if you're starting to like this kid, you gotta seriously think about that. I don't want to be talking about this either because it's just plain fucking weird, but somebody's gotta do it and Shiro's too much of a pussy, so here I am."

Grimmjow glared down at Nnoitra's thin hand twisted in his shirt. "Why are you making such a big deal about this?"

"_Because_," Nnoitra said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "It's a big deal when out of nowhere, you decide you're attracted to dudes!"

"It's really not," Grimmjow slumped against the wall and closed his eyes. "I don't know why you're more upset about this than I am, but if this is the kind of shit I'm going to go through when I realize whatever I'm supposedly realizing, then have at it. I want nothing to do with it."

"Look, can you just hear me out?" Nnoitra was a step away from leaving the conversation as is, but it looked like Grimmjow was too tired to put up much more of a fight.

After a moment of consideration, Grimmjow huffed. "Fine. Just let go of me. You're screwing up my nice sleep shirt."

Nnoitra stared at Grimmjow for a long minute then released his grip. "You _are_ a fucking fag, aren't you? 'Nice sleep shirt', what the hell? Why didn't I notice this earlier?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?" Grimmjow smiled despite himself. He'd always found Nnoitra funny when he was mad. It probably made him crazy, too, considering how psycho the other man could be when in a mood.

"No, just sit the fuck down," Nnoitra spat.

"Yes, Mommy," Grimmjow sassed. The two sat on the couch with more than enough space between them. "So what's this about?"

"Fucking chill," Nnoitra rubbed his forehead in frustration. "I'm trying to figure out a way to say this without sounding retarded."

Grimmjow snorted. "You _already_ sound retarded."

"Whatever," Nnoitra leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and let his eyes slide over to lock with Grimmjow's. "Alright, so you like, know how that shit works, right?"

Grimmjow stared at the other man, attempting to decipher the not so obvious meaning of his question. "What shit?"

Nnoitra faltered for what was probably the first time in history, his big mouth flapping like a fish out of water. Grimmjow would later wish he was recording it because it was just plain priceless. At least it would be, right that moment, it was torture.

Nnoitra seemed to come to a decision in his busy mind and his face went grave, voice dropping below its normal, gravely yell. "_You know_," The taller man made vague gestures with his hands. "Faggot sex."

"Nnoitra..."

"Just fucking answer the question, Grim. I don't like this either."

"Ugh, this sucks!" Grimmjow complained, dropping his head back on the couch and groaning like a child being told to eat his broccoli.

"Come on. Let's just get this over with."

"I just fuck 'em in the ass, right? Mystery solved," Grimmjow closed his eyes and tried not to think about how potentially disgusting that kind of thing could be. Even if it had been the first and last thing on his mind the last couple of days.

"Yeah… you fuck him _or_ he fucks you. You know it can go both ways, don't you? 'Cause it's not like doing a girl where you're always pitchin'."

Grimmjow reopened his eyes and lifted his head to meet Nnoitra's uncomfortable gaze. "What? Isn't it good for the guy on the bottom? Shouldn't he like… want that or something?"

"I dunno," Nnoitra chuckled. "Maybe Ichigo does, but not all gays are like that."

"So you're saying you'd let that Shinji guy bend you over?" Grimmjow made his own lewd gestures, hoping it would make Nnoitra half as uncomfortable as he was. It didn't seem to be working.

"Hell yeah, man!" Nnoitra sat back and raised his arms behind his head. "Nothing wrong with that."

Grimmjow's face went pale and rubbed a hand over his forehead. Why in the fuck had he decided to ask that? He thought for a long moment and took a deep breath. "So I might have to let this kid fuck me?"

"No, not if you don't want to. What I'm saying is, if you really think you want to do that sort of thing with Ichigo then you should try it both ways at least once. I still prefer topping and all, but it's not so bad when you get a guy that knows what they're doing to give it to ya."

Grimmjow hunched forward, hands coming up to cover his eyes. "This is _so_ not something I ever wanted to talk with you about."

"No shit, but you get why I had to, right? I mean, I'm all for you joining the bandwagon with Shiro and I, but I was _so_ not looking forward to having the talk with a grown ass man."

"This is more awkward than when my parents tried to explain that masturbation is normal."

Nnoitra laughed and nodded. "Same here. But I figured Ichigo's probably more experienced than you are in this and it might help for you to know this stuff. At least before you go in thinking you'll be running things like you usually do. Then again, it's not like you ever dominated Nel.."

"Fuck this! I told you, I don't ever want to talk about that bitch again," Grimmjow got up and stomped off toward his room again.

"Fine with me! I don't know if you remember, but I totally hated her too!" Nnoitra hollered and chuckled to himself, glad the talk was over with. "Imma make myself some lunch!"

"What the fuck ever," Grimmjow gruffed, then there was the loud bang of his bedroom door slamming shut.

* * *

><p><em>Later on..<em>

Ichigo slumped in the plastic seat and sighed for the fourth time since being shoved into the tent for hair and makeup. He'd gotten up much earlier than he preferred to on a weekend, and took a quick shower before picking Grimmjow up to bring him along to his quick photo shoot. Ichigo still had no idea what Grimmjow was going to do while he was being pampered and stood around for pictures to be taken.

The set was out in the middle of nowhere, sun blazing down on them and nothing but the cameras, parked cars and a tent that was set up for him and the other models. Ichigo was to be shot first, then the rest, which worked out just fine for him. The wardrobe, however, was a little… revealing?

"This is stupid. Why did I take this job?" Ichigo complained, turning his head to look at the man standing behind him.

"Because you need the money, I assume," Yumichika answered. He grabbed Ichigo's head and turned him forward. "Stop moving or this will only take longer."

Ichigo sighed and closed his eyes, fighting the urge to drop his head back while gel was applied to his hair. Generally, he liked to have his hair touched, but when it was someone he wasn't close with, it was a little strange. Something about soft fingers on his scalp or sifting through his hair always calmed him down, but it had a tendency to lead to more.

Shinji knew about this weakness of Ichigo's and used it whenever necessary to get his way. Even out in public, Shinji's fingers would occasionally wander into the back of Ichigo's hair and simultaneously piss him off and calm him down, which otherwise shouldn't have been possible. Ichigo was helpless to refuse once Shinji's surprisingly deft hands were at work, though. The man behind Ichigo sort of reminded him of his blond friend. Yumichika dressed himself well, had a short bob and soft fingers. He wasn't all that bad looking, either, just not Ichigo's type.

"Are you the one that picked this color?" Ichigo asked, distracting himself from the discomfort of the situation. He kept fidgeting and that only made Yumichika's job harder, but he couldn't help it. There was just no way he'd ever get used to the sort of life style where people waited on him hand and foot.

"Why yes, that was me," Yumichika said. "I apologize if you think it clashes, but there was a certain look I was told to go for with you and I think you fit it quite well," The stylist tilted his head, gazing up into the mirror for a moment while pressing his lips together.

"You could have tried to pick a color less redundant," Ichigo squirmed in his seat. "I don't know why I ever agreed to this. I look ridiculous."

"Really, it's only a bathing suit. Aren't you used to wearing worse? And anyway, you are an outwardly beautiful person, Ichigo. It is best to use that to your advantage," Yumichika sifted gel covered fingers through Ichigo's hair one last time and smiled to himself. "You look nice with longer bangs."

Ichigo peeked open an eye to look at the mirror in front of him with Yumichika's reflection in it. "Outwardly beautiful, huh?"

"That's what I said!" The stylist sang and dropped his hands on Ichigo's shoulders. "I believe you are good to go."

Ichigo slipped the sandals he'd been given back on his feet then stood and looked in the mirror as Yumichika moved off to attend to another model. A pair of obscenely bright orange board shorts rested beneath Ichigo's hips and a skin tight tank top outlined each of his lightly toned pectorals. Beneath the shorts was a tiny, black speedo that he'd later have to strip down to after a few pictures. It's only decoration was the two orange stripes that lined the left side that wrapped beneath his hip. Ichigo frowned at his reflection, lip curling at the feel of the tight bathing suit already riding up in places it really shouldn't have been.

When Ichigo turned to head out on set, a young man with shoulder length hair was biting his lip at the entrance of the tent. Startled when Ichigo approached, the boy jumped an inch in the air before half bowing at Ichigo and mumbling something in a language the tangerine didn't understand.

"W-we are ready for you Mister Kurosaki," the young man said, directing his eyes to the floor.

"Hana, I told you, just call me Ichigo," Ichigo walked up next to him and offered an honest smile. He really had no idea why the kid was in this business since he was practically required to be social when clearly, that was not among his strengths.

Hanataro nodded eagerly and lifted his head as Ichigo walked by. "O-okay Mister Ku- Ichigo."

Ichigo squinted when the sunlight from outside the tent met his face and he lifted a hand to shade his eyes. A quick search of the set and he easily found Grimmjow standing off to the side. The man was slumped and half sitting on a table with both hands in his pockets and something poking out of his mouth. Ichigo straightened his shoulders, realizing there was no way he could hide from the other man, and decided to walk right over him. Before he even made all the way over there, Grimmjow was laughing and holding a hand out to point at him.

"Orange? Of the all colors, they chose to put you in orange?" Grimmjow smirked. "Priceless."

"I didn't have to bring you here, asshole," Ichigo growled. "And I can leave you here, too."

"Alright, I'm trying to stop," Grimmjow covered his mouth, completely failing to hide his grin as the cigarette nearly dropped from his lips. "I can't help it. It's just those shorts…and your hair!" Grimmjow shook his head. "Too funny."

Ichigo sighed, uncrossing arms he hadn't remembered putting there and dropping them at his sides. "You're right, I look dumb."

"No, no," Grimmjow swallowed and reached out to bring Ichigo near. "You look fine."

"You can't even say that with a straight face," Ichigo pouted.

Grimmjow grinned at him, spreading his legs to lure Ichigo closer as his gaze raked down his chest. "Running out of straight parts, aren't I?" And that he was. Even if the orange clashed with Ichigo's hair, the tangerine looked amazing. It really shouldn't have surprised him anymore.

Ichigo grinned right back. "I can name one thing you have that's perfectly st-"

"Ichigo! Let's go!"

Ichigo's shoulders sagged. "Alright, chill baldy," he yelled back, turning his head to face the shiny headed photographer, Ikkaku.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" the man hollered.

"Coming!" Ichigo answered innocently. He pressed a kiss on the corner Grimmjow's mouth and pulled away, hurrying off to take his place on set.

"Okay smartass, simple set today," The photographer pointed to where he wanted Ichigo to stand. "We'll start with the basics, just like before. Do you remember or should I run it through once more?"

Ichigo nodded at Ikkaku, "I remember," He looked down to make sure he was standing on his mark. As the photographer ducked behind his camera, Ichigo raised his arms to lock behind his neck and straightened his back. The edge of his tight shirt came up a little, showing his flat belly while he stared straight forward.

Ichigo normally got bored for this part of the process, but having Grimmjow eyes on him, feeling the mixture of heat from his stare and the sun burning down on set, Ichigo realized he actually kind of enjoyed it. Having other models eyes on him was one thing, always an unsaid air of envy and awe when sent in Ichigo's direction, but it was much different feeling Grimmjow's honest gaze on him.

Clicks were heard from shutter and Ichigo moved fluidly, arms shifting behind his head while his body twisted, hips turned to the side and chest forward. Almond eyes narrowed, catching on Grimmjow seated not too far off. Ichigo licked his lips, leaving them parted as he spread his legs then let his arms fall down.

"Lose the shirt," Ikkaku said, peeking up for a moment to nod at Ichigo.

Ichigo did as he was told, pulling the white, sleeveless shirt off happily and hanging it over his shoulder, hooked on one finger. He dropped his other hand to curl into the waistband of his shorts and pulled them down an inch or two as Ikkaku continued grunting his approval now and then.

It should have hit Grimmjow then, that he had more than just work interest in the kid. If the talk with Nnoitra and his recent experiences with him weren't enough, the fact that he couldn't tear his eyes away if he wanted to should have clued him. No thoughts of manipulating the tangerine were on Grimmjow's mind as they should have been, nothing but what he could do to keep Ichigo in his sight, and the dirty thoughts that took over in the form of a constant heat in his veins.

Grimmjow almost didn't notice his phone as it lit up in his hand from an incoming text. He only looked down when it rang and flipped it open, calming himself and reading over the message.

'_where the fuck r u?'_

The blunet sighed and set his phone on the table, ignoring the text and looking back up at Ichigo. If he didn't know better, he'd say Ichigo had been modeling for years. With how the tangerine denied enjoying it, he had to wonder if the other man wasn't telling him something. How many of these gigs did Ichigo take, anyway? If he hated it so much, was there something more to the reason he took them? Grimmjow looked off toward the tent, but nobody was around aside from the photographer and Ichigo. Shrugging inwardly, he returned his gaze to the tangerine.

Grimmjow took a deep breath as Ichigo tilted his head forward slightly, staring straight toward him from beneath his bangs. _Shit_. The kid really had to stop doing that with others around. _Just what exactly is this shoot for?_ Grimmjow wondered as he shamelessly adjusted himself in his jeans. Ichigo was way too hot for any kind of decent advertisement, and it was kind of pissing Grimmjow off that who knows how many sets of eyes would be on whatever these pictures were developed for. But only kind of.

"Good, perfect. Now drop it and give us more of those hips," the bald man murmured.

Grimmjow barely heard the words, but they had no less impact when he sorted them out. Something about this guy demanding things from Ichigo, however professional, made him want to stalk over there and rip his shiny head off. Maybe he hadn't gotten enough sleep, because it didn't make sense how much Ichigo seemed to have possessed him. Even with Nelliel, he'd never been that possessive. It was possible, though, that he'd just forgotten because he had spent the last couple of years trying to forget.

Ichigo pulled his gaze from the near drooling Grimmjow and settled his eyes forward again. He dropped the shirt and tucked both thumbs into the front of his shorts, pulling them dangerously low so that the top hem of his low riding, dark speedo showed beneath them. The defined hollows next to his hip bones drew Grimmjow's attention down to where they led, and the blunet sucked in another uneasy breath.

Ichigo's eyes darkened slightly, shoulders hunching forward. The photographer nodded at him after another few clicks and Ichigo rolled his shoulders back, lifting one hand from his shorts to wipe the back of it across his forehead.

As he let the hand drop, Ichigo trailed it down his chest, tongue coming out to lick at his upper lip. Then he grabbed either side of the orange shorts and tugged them down to drop at his feet. They were kicked aside where they were collected by Hana and Ichigo flicked his sandals off in the same direction. The black fabric of the tiny suit stretched tight around Ichigo's body and left very little to the imagination while showcasing his almost completely tanned body and sweat dampened skin. Bits of his hair were darkened by sweat, but did nothing to ruin the image the tangerine made to all who watched.

Ichigo swallowed, feeling a little vulnerable, but convinced himself to focus for the last few shots. He wasn't too modest to admit he was attractive, but that didn't mean that this type of swimwear was his favorite. It certainly wasn't the most comfortable, though it wasn't as bad as he thought it might be.

Grimmjow's phone rang again and he reached back blindly to find it on the table behind him. Cursing at the screen, he brought it up to his ear. "What the hell do you want?"

"You were supposed to be here an hour ago. Where the hell are you?"

Grimmjow blinked for a moment, composure wavering as Ichigo shifted in the tiny bathing suit and cracked a gorgeous smile. "I have something else to do today. Tell him I can't make it."

"Well no shit! I figured that out when you didn't show up," Shiro's voice carried through the phone loudly.

"Then why did you bother calling? Just make an excuse for me, I'm with Ichi."

"Ichi? You mean Ichigo? I hope you found something, cause Sosuke's already pissed."

"Good for him," Grimmjow rolled his eyes and spotted a violet haired man -at least he _thought_ it was a man- walking toward him with his head shaking back and forth.

"No calls on set," Yumichika said.

Grimmjow shrugged, unceremoniously ending the call and putting his cell on silent. "No prob," he said with a smile.

Yumichika looked at him thoughtfully, thin arms folding across his chest.

"What?" Grimmjow barked. The man wouldn't stop _staring_. It didn't seem like admiration for his looks, but it was making him uncomfortable and he was_ trying _to watch Ichigo.

"Is Ichigo your boyfriend?"

Grimmjow's back stiffened, lips tightening around the unlit cigarette. "What's it to you?" he mumbled.

"Just curious."

Grimmjow's foot scratched through the dirt beneath his shoe and he kept his face carefully blank. "How do you know if I'm gay?"

Yumichika merely raised a brow, letting his expression do the answering for him.

Grimmjow clenched his teeth and peered out at Ichigo again, eyes brightening at the sight. "Yeah, we're dating."

"Do you want to go out there with him?" The stylist asked, tilting his head in Ichigo's direction.

"Uh, no. I think he's got it covered," Grimmjow grinned as the kid beamed over at him. "Besides, isn't that bald guy in charge?"

Yumichika snickered, holding a hand to his mouth. "You mean Ikkaku? No, not exactly," The stylist glanced over at said photographer, biting his lip as the bald man bent forward over his mounted camera. Yumichika turned back, shrugging at Grimmjow. "We wouldn't pay you or anything, but with the way you're burning two holes in his skin, I figured you'd pay _us_ just to stand closer to him."

Grimmjow grunted, averting his eyes so he wouldn't look quite as interested as Yumichika knew he was. "I'm not _that_ desperate."

"Sure you aren't," Yumichika teased.

"Got it," Ikkaku said, stepping away from his tripod and reaching out to shake Ichigo's hand. "Thanks for coming."

Grimmjow watched Ichigo take the bald man's hand with a smile, then he looked back over to see that Yumichika had disappeared.

Ichigo received his discarded sandals from Hana, scolding him playfully for something before heading over to Grimmjow with his hands swinging freely at his sides. He practically glistened in the sunlight and walked with much more confidence than Grimmjow figured he would have, had he been in similar clothing. Or lack thereof.

"I just have to change then we'll head over to see my family," Ichigo said when he reached the blunet. "I think they'll be making dinner for us, but we can stop somewhere to get lunch on the way if you want."

"Whatever you want's fine," Grimmjow said distractedly, crossing his legs as he sat back on the table top, leaned against his hands behind him. No matter how he tried, he just couldn't help directing both blue eyes below Ichigo's waist.

Noticing the blatant stare, Ichigo smiled. "So were you bored out of your mind or what?" he asked, sitting next to the other man on the table.

Grimmjow rolled his eyes. "I don't think anyone in a ten mile radius was bored for that."

"Why do you say that?" The tangerine blinked at him innocently.

"You aren't really that stupid are you?"

"No," Ichigo laughed. "I just wanted to hear your answer."

"Well, too bad," Grimmjow muttered.

"Is this your phone?" Ichigo picked up Grimmjow's cell and held it out. Then he yanked it back when Grimmjow reached out for it and cocked his head to the side. "How do I know it's yours?"

"Because you've seen me with it before, dumbass."

"It could just _look_ like your phone," Ichigo's lips quirked as Grimmjow grumbled at him.

Grimmjow reached out only to have Ichigo pull his hand back again. He sighed and slumped a little. "Will you just give it to me?" The blunet was half tempted to throw the kid down in the dirt and force him to give the phone back. It could just have been his hormones talking, though.

Ichigo shook his head and looked down at the screen. "Tell me something only you would know about it."

"Why don't you just look for your phone number and the picture I took of your stupid face?"

Ichigo bit his lip while pulling up Grimmjow's most recent text message. He knew he was prying, but Grimmjow didn't seem all too concerned. "Who was the last person to text you?"

Grimmjow gave up and let his head fall back, determined to stare at the sky, clouds, anything that wasn't on Ichigo's body. It wasn't as though there was anything for Ichigo to find in his phone. Especially after the kid found his gun, he didn't have room to be careless. "Snow White was bitching about me not showing up at work today."

"You had work but you came out with me?" Ichigo dropped the phone in Grimmjow's lap and touched his cheek, forcing Grimmjow to face him. "Why would you do that?"

"Honestly, it doesn't matter. Might get in trouble, but I'll deal with it when it's a problem."

Ichigo bit his lip and let his hand fall from the others cheek. "Grimmjow I don't want you getting in trouble because of me."

"Well it's too late for that, now isn't it?"

Ichigo scowled and reached out to pluck the cigarette from Grimmjow's mouth. "Are you just sucking on this? That's disgusting."

"Better than smoking it, right?"

"It's still gross."

Grimmjow rolled his eyes and tried to steal it back. When Ichigo broke the cigarette in half and tossed it away, he sighed and reached in his pocket for another.

"No!" Ichigo grabbed Grimmjow's wrist, blushing a little despite his attempts to hide it. "That just defeats the point."

"Then why don't you give me something better to suck on?" Grimmjow's voice was a low growl, but the look in his eyes had Ichigo's ears burning with heat.

Ichigo's jaw flapped for a moment, then came to a stop, hanging open. "Huh? Like what? All I have with me is clothes and keys."

"You're kinda slow aren't you?" Grimmjow stood and dragged Ichigo towards where they parked.

"Hold on!" Ichigo dragged his feet, pulling Grimmjow to a stop. "I have to change!"

"Hurry up then!" Grimmjow waved him off, so Ichigo took a glance back at his boyfriend before jogging toward the tent. Just as Ichigo was about to leave, Yumichika laid a hand on his shoulder and turned him around.

"He's a newbie, isn't he?" the stylist asked softly.

"I'm sorry, what?" Ichigo blinked as the other man stared at him. "I don't understand. Do you mean Grimmjow?"

"Yes," Yumichika let his hand fall and started to turn away. "Be careful with him. Sometimes they back out when things get serious."

Before Ichigo could comment, the stylist was gone. "Back out?" he mumbled, grabbing his bag and heading out to where Grimmjow waited. When he didn't find the blunet outside, Ichigo went towards his car and saw Grimmjow lounging against his door with a hand over his face to block the sun. "Are you that eager to leave?"

"It's hot out here," Grimmjow griped. He turned his head, still shading his eyes with a hand. "What was all this for?"

Ichigo walked around the truck to his side and got in to start the engine and get the air conditioner running. Grimmjow sluggishly pulled himself away from the door and came over to squat down in front of Ichigo's open door on the driver's side.

"I'm not really sure," Ichigo said. "Some sort of swimwear advertisement in a magazine." He peered down at Grimmjow's face and reached out to wipe some sweat away from his temple. "I can't get over how blue your eyes are."

Grimmjow leaned back on his heels and nearly fell on his butt. Hadn't his eyes always been blue? Nobody had ever said something so random and- what was it? Affectionate? Well, not that he remembered. It was certainly the first time he'd been shocked by that sort of comment.

Spreading his legs for better balance while squatting, Grimmjow reached out to hold the open car door next to him and studied Ichigo's face. What was he supposed to say to that? "How many of these magazine ads have you been in?" he asked, swallowing hard when he realized how lame it was to ask that after Ichigo's compliment. Talk about wasting six years on a job smooth talking countless strangers only to blow it all by being a complete idiot in front of someone he actually gave two fucks about.

Ichigo frowned, leaning back in his seat with his legs still hanging out of the car. He let his eyes stray upward as he thought of the answer. "I don't remember exactly. At least a dozen," He shook a foot in the air that didn't quite meet the dirt and met Grimmjow's piercing gaze again. "It's not something I enjoy doing a lot of the time, but it earns me some extra money."

Grimmjow nodded, deciding to stand up before he fell over.

"Why?" Ichigo asked, hoping the question would keep Grimmjow from jumping ship on the conversation. After his comment on Grimmjow's eyes, he had hoped they might start talking about something that mattered, and while his career wasn't all that serious, the topic would do for now.

It felt like all they ever did was edge around anything real when they talked, which was fine. Ichigo preferred to keep things light, but they had to discuss important topics at some point. Ichigo didn't want to push, but he didn't want to lose Grimmjow either. If he understood Yumichika correctly, then there was a possibility of Grimmjow backing out before it got serious. Ichigo needed to do something to prevent that, and quickly. What could he do without smothering Grimmjow? He didn't want to rush things or try having serious conversations every time they were together, but what else was there? Surely they could handle one honest talk.

"It just seemed to me that you were a lot more experienced at this then you let on," Grimmjow admitted, standing awkwardly in front of Ichigo's car door. Ichigo had a strange look in his eyes that he couldn't figure out. It wasn't quite the confusion or listlessness the tangerine had when he daydreamed, but more focused. Concern, probably. "I'm just saying it looks like you're photogenic or whatever they call it." Grimmjow scratched the back of his head. "Like, a natural."

"Oh. Well.. thanks," Ichigo's stomach did flip flops when Grimmjow smiled crookedly down at him, and he fought the urge to shoot up out of his seat to hug the man. Ichigo pulled his feet into the car and nodded at Grimmjow. "Ready to go?"

When Grimmjow was back in his seat, Ichigo shut his door and took them back out on the road. Dirt and rocks crunched and popped beneath the wheels as the only sound for a few, strained minutes. Ichigo shot a few glances at Grimmjow, leaning against his door with an elbow rested in his open window, wind whipping his hair about his face.

"I should probably warn you about my family," Ichigo said, voice gaining strength as he continued to talk. "Or what I mean is that I should warn you about my father."

Grimmjow looked over strangely and Ichigo cringed inwardly. There were no existing words to explain the mystery that was his father, but he was going to have to make do. "He's kind of… weird."

"All parents are weird," Grimmjow reasoned, shrugging and turning back to stare out his window.

"No, but my dad is different," Ichigo struggled with his limited talent with descriptions. "You see there's this…uhm, obsession he has, and it's kind of with my deceased mother."

Grimmjow snapped his head back over so harshly, Ichigo thought he heard his neck crack. Surely he'd mentioned his mother being gone? Oh, but he hadn't, or anything family related for that matter. When did he become such a private person? It occurred to Ichigo that anyone besides those in his close circle were completely shut out when it came to his personal life. Ichigo liked it that way though, less chance of being hurt. It wasn't so much that he was scared, but that Ichigo didn't need any unnecessary drama in his life.

Grimmjow's surprise was not, indeed, related to the news about Ichigo's mother. He was well aware of her passing when Ichigo was young. It was instead about Ichigo's sudden and almost casual mention of her. Ichigo was barely even ten when she was ripped from his life in an accident that could have been easily taken from Ichigo's view as his own fault. So why was Ichigo so freely mentioning her? Was this issue with his father so grave, or was it that Ichigo had, somewhere along the line, begun to trust him?

Grimmjow slouched a little, the look of remorse on his face completely genuine. While his own parents were scarce, they were still both alive. Other than the loss of an acquaintance back in high school, Grimmjow had hardly ever experienced the grief of a death near to himself. Or at least, people he knew. It was hard to imagine how it must affect Ichigo on a daily basis to know that his mother used to be there and then just suddenly wasn't. "I'm sorry to hear that," Grimmjow said lamely, knowing the stupid line wasn't going to make anything better.

Ichigo shook his head, determined to keep his eyes on the road. "Don't worry about it; it was a long time ago. It's just that my father hasn't exactly moved on. I don't blame him, she was wonderful, but he tends to take it overboard sometimes."

Ichigo had already texted Karin ahead of time so that the family had warning of him brining a guest home, but he hadn't the time to answer any of her questions, only able to urge her to please ask their dad to be well behaved. Ichigo knew it was a lost cause, but he could try at the very least. Maybe he hadn't exactly been looking for a relationship lately, but that didn't mean he enjoyed being lonely. Grimmjow was an amazing catch and Ichigo didn't need his father ruining any chances they had of getting further serious. In other circumstances, Ichigo would reason that any guy scared off by his family wasn't worth the trouble, but his father was a special case.

Then again, Grimmjow was special, too. The guy had gotten along well with Ichigo's friends and it seemed they fit into each other's lives so far without much of a problem. They still had the matter of Grimmjow's sexuality to discuss and the slight mystery surrounding his profession, and even the strangeness of him owning a gun, but they'd get to that when it came time. Come to think of it, said time was kind of closing in on them, wasn't it? Ichigo knew hardly anything about Grimmjow's past.

Grimmjow cleared his throat in Ichigo's silence and the tangerine stiffened before explaining further.

"There's this picture…actually, there's a lot of pictures. You'll see when we get there. Mostly he talks like she's still around and other crazy things. It's nothing serious, we mostly just laugh at him. Besides all of that though, he's totally wacky and I'll warn you now not to ever stand in front of any door that he's on the other side of. Also-"

"Slow down there, bud," Grimmjow chuckled and leaned back in his seat, kicking a foot up onto the dash. "We'll figure it all out when we get there, right? No need to spaz. My family's pretty weird, too. I mean fuck, we all have blue hair and that scares people more than you'd think!"

Ichigo laughed; was he serious? "All of you? Blue hair?"

"Yup. Like a family of fucking smurfs."

"Don't they have white-"

"You get the point."

"Right," Ichigo eyeballed Grimmjow who had both legs propped up now, fingers drumming on his knees. "Well, don't ever say I didn't warn you. You'll get your fill of my family tonight, uncensored, so I hope you're ready for that."

"What makes you think I'm not?"

Grimmjow's accusing glare had Ichigo tightening his hands on the steering wheel before relaxing with a long sigh. Ichigo eased them into the long driveway down toward his family home and took a moment to cast a final glance at Grimmjow "I never said you weren't ready, I just don't think you know what you're getting into."

"I'm meeting your family, not proposing to you in front of them. It's not that big of a deal."

"Okay fine, sorry," Ichigo shivered and pushed the images of Grimmjow on a knee aside. They'd only known each other for a little under a month and were dating for less than a day. It felt like a whole long longer than that somehow. There were still so many things he wasn't sure about when it came to Grimmjow but when they were together, that stuff didn't matter. Their first real date on the plaza had been unforgettable, their first kiss even more memorable, and he was sure the rest of their firsts would be equally amazing.

Wait, why was he getting all mushy?

"This is it," Ichigo smiled as the place came into view from behind the trees surrounding it. In the wide clearing sat a beautiful home amongst elaborate landscaping and a wide, circular area for parking. Ichigo maneuvered his truck into an open space in front of the house.

To the left, breaking off from the pavement, was a clean cut path with multiple colored hydrangea's lining it and leading back toward what Grimmjow could only guess was a proper garage. As he squinted at the building, one surely big enough to house a dozen vehicles, he saw that there was a separate paved route leading from it toward the road, which only confirmed his suspicion of its use.

"Your father collects cars?" Grimmjow asked as they got out of Ichigo's truck and he was led up the path, going straight toward the front door. He couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the smells of newly budded flowers and various other arrangements of flora. Everything looked to be placed just so, and yet it still maintained the comfortableness of a family home; its charm standing out in the warm colors of the outer walls and aged look of the front deck and widely framed entrance.

Ichigo nodded and gently pushed Grimmjow aside, reminding him about the rule of not standing directly in front of doors, and knocked once before stepping inside cautiously. The tangerine peered around inside, then waved Grimmjow in just in time to hear a strange noise building in volume from off to the right. Panicked, Ichigo shut the door and stood in front of Grimmjow with both arms raised defensively.

Grimmjow cocked a brow and smirked, wondering why Ichigo thought he couldn't defend himself. He didn't comment though, finding it amusing. What was his father going to do? It couldn't be that bad.

Then who should come around the corner from the room on the right but Isshin himself, arms outstretched on either side of him and his face screwed up as he hummed and moved in their direction.

Ichigo sighed, palming his face as his defensive stance all but fell. It seemed like rather than poorly attempting to kick his ass, Ichigo's father chose to go with the not so uncommon attempt at imitating this or that random object. Today, it seemed, Isshin was a plane, or a retarded bird; Ichigo couldn't be sure. What's worse, his father was wearing his pajamas, like it wasn't fucking three in the afternoon already.

Isshin sputtered to a stop and dropped his arms. His eyes went comically wide and then he threw both airplane wing arms around his son, wiggling him around in his rendition of an overly clingy bear hug. "Ichigooo~ I am so glad to see you today!"

"I come home every weekend, Dad," Ichigo muttered, shoulders sagging at the realization that there was no going back. When he pried himself from the tight embrace, he half expected to see Grimmjow with one foot already out the door, but in actuality, the blue-haired man still stood there with a grin on his face.

"Pleased to meet you Mister Kurosaki," Grimmjow said in greeting.

Ichigo just blinked while the silence stretched. Isshin stared at Grimmjow for the longest minute Ichigo had ever had to suffer through.

"Who are you?" Isshin finally asked, as if realizing for the first time that Grimmjow didn't belong there.

Ichigo groaned. So much for the warning text he'd sent. "Karin!" he shouted, and tapped his foot while waiting for his dark haired sister to come along. Another uncomfortably silent minute later and Karin was peeking around the corner. She strolled into the room with her arms crossed and hair in a messy pony tail.

"Didn't you get my text to tell dad about Grimmjow coming?" Ichigo asked.

"Oh, so that's his name?" Karin stuck a hip out and her dark eyes burned into Ichigo's skull. "You barely told me anything earlier and expected me to have Dad ready for your visitor in a couple of hours? You know he needs more warning than that to act like a normal human!"

Isshin looked between his children, confused. "What's going on here?"

"I told you Ichi was having a guest over today, but I guess you already forgot," Karin and Ichigo exchanged unsurprised looks then Karin grabbed her father's long pajama sleeve to drag him away. "You aren't even _sort of_ presentable, Dad. What were you thinking?"

"W-wait! I have something important to say~!" Isshin whined. He pulled his arm from Karin's grip and turned back around to his annoyed son and very entertained boyfriend. "Welcome to our home, Grinjaw!" he announced, waving his arms around energetically.

"You idiot, it's Grimmjow!" Ichigo shouted, shooing his father along with Karin.

"Ohhh, but I have shamed my offspring on this beautiful d-"

"Shut the hell up," Karin said, yanking Isshin around the corner and out of sight.

Ichigo rubbed his forehead, feeling like a headache was already forming. "I am s-"

"Don't even start with the sorry bullshit again," the blunet cut in. "It's not your fault your father's a lunatic."

Grimmjow's lips curled into a smirk and Ichigo couldn't even begin to be mad upon seeing it. He nodded and led the way through the house, pausing just before leaving the elegant entryway to show Grimmjow the painted portrait of his mother displayed in a very elaborate casing and frame. Fresh flowers were placed around it daily per Isshin's demands, and Ichigo found that it was the only one of the many ridiculous habits his father had that he actually enjoyed. After pointing out that the artist was none other than Tensa himself, Ichigo led Grimmjow further into the house, lazily explaining where the important rooms were while also searching for his other sister, Yuzu.

When Karin returned, hand slightly red from the punching she'd had to do to get Isshin to dress properly without protest, Ichigo asked her where her twin was and she replied that Yuzu was in the garden. Ichigo decided to leave her to it for now, knowing that Yuzu treasured her alone time with her plants and vegetables.

The two men followed Karin into a cozy living room where she collapsed into a couch and flipped the television on. Ichigo spaced out for a few minutes while Grimmjow and his sister talked about the gaming systems they had set up and all of the different games each of them loved.

Ichigo still couldn't believe he had brought Grimmjow home. Shinji was right when he said this was a big deal. He had been trying not to worry about it all day, but now as Ichigo's new boyfriend sat, surprisingly deep into conversation with his younger sister, things suddenly became so very real. Whether he was ready or not, their relationship was going somewhere fast.

At least, unlike the other times Ichigo had been brave enough to bring someone home, everything seemed to be going well. He already had a feeling Grimmjow and Karin would get along and was glad to see he was right about that. Yuzu would likely be sweet as always and say that Grimmjow was a good match for Ichigo, then later explain why she thought so when they could be alone. Ichigo loved her for that, and that while Yuzu always tried to see the good in his dates, she would also be honest if something about them bothered her.

Isshin, well, he could get along with just about anyone; it was more or less a problem of people getting along with him. As far as Ichigo was concerned, Grimmjow had passed the test of meeting his father with flying colors, as was proved by him still being present.

"What do you think about this?" Isshin said, drawing everyone's attention to his reappearance at the entrance of the room. Ichigo and Karin gawked at their father, who stood with his arms out once again, but this time not so high. Cuff links twinkled from either sleeve of his well-fitted, charcoal colored suit.

"I don't know about you guys, but _this_ is what I call dressed up, and I must say, I do look rather handsome," Isshin nodded to himself, not waiting for a reply as he scooted on over to the couch and sat down with the group, making the large furniture seem so much less comfortable with three tall men and poor little Karin all piled into it.

"So tell me about yourself, Gr-imm-jow," Isshin spoke over Ichigo who was between him and their guest. Karin was squished on the far end of the couch between a couch arm and Grimmjow, who was trying as hard as he could to give her more room without practically sitting in Ichigo's lap.

"Nothing much to say, sir," Grimmjow said, lifting one arm to wrap it around Ichigo as he scooted closer in attempts not to make Karin uncomfortable. He knew by experience that starting with topics like politics or religion weren't the best choices until you knew the family's views, so he stuck with something simple. Isshin seemed like the simple type.

Isshin sat up straight and crossed a leg over his knee, oblivious to the fact that it meant that his foot was in his sons lap. "I see, I see. So you are making my son happy, then? Seeing to all of his needs and- Ah- ow, ow!"

"Cut it out!" Ichigo hissed, jabbing a hand into his father's ribs. "Or I'll do this until you can't breathe!"

It wasn't even a matter of question about what happened next.

Karin and Grimmjow stared quietly as Ichigo and his father wrestled against each other on their end of the overly packed couch, exchanging punches and kicks until a mousy voice spoke up from the other side of the room.

"I see that our guest is here," Yuzu smiled, crossing the room to offer Grimmjow a friendly hug. Grimmjow hugged back, but not without turning his head to look at Karin helplessly. Karin only shrugged at him while mouthing that Yuzu was always like that. Grimmjow figured he could handle friendliness if it was coming from such a cute little girl. As long as it wasn't too often.

When Yuzu pulled back, she was blushing madly for a reason that it seemed only Karin could figure out. She brushed a sandy lock of hair from her face and then tugged on Ichigo's arm, pulling him off of the couch and away from his perch with a knee on Isshin's chest. "Ichi, can you help me bring some things in from outside? I want to make us all a fresh salad for dinner, but there's too much stuff for me to carry all at once."

Ichigo calmed to Yuzu's words in an instant and untangled himself from his father's arms to follow Yuzu's lead out of the room.

Isshin looked mildly upset, but the expression was quickly lost when Yuzu shot him a heartwarming smile over her shoulder.

"Got something good cooking up for dinner tonight, Zu?" Ichigo asked as they walked through the house toward the back door. He wrapped an arm around his much shorter sister's shoulders and pulled her close, jostling her little body a bit. If it bothered the young girl, she didn't show it.

"Mmhm!" Yuzu eyes widened as she looked up at her brother. "Your new boyfriend is so handsome!" she finally gushed, knowing they were far enough away now that nobody could hear. As they stepped out the back door, Yuzu didn't miss the blush on Ichigo's face and smiled to herself, passing her brother to lead him out where she had piled everything she wanted to bring in into baskets.

Gardening had become a passion of Yuzu's, something she'd spend time doing between assignments for school and ensuring that her father and sister were happy at all times. After the loss of their mother, Yuzu had become like a beacon of light for the family, taking on most of the household tasks their mother used to do while trying her best to keep everybody in decent shape. Ichigo still felt that it was because of Yuzu that they didn't all fall apart and always wished he could have been half as strong as she was during their darkest time all those years ago.

Yuzu handed Ichigo a majority of the baskets and grabbed the rest herself, breathing in the wonderful smell of fresh vegetables that she proudly admitted to growing all by herself. At first, she had completely underestimated how hard it would be to care for her own small piece of heaven, but with a few years of experience under her belt now, she was growing things they could safely eat on a regular basis. Tonight she planned just a simple salad with some of the plants of her own and the rest was store bought. The main parts of the meal had already been prepared, so all she had left was heating the noodles and peas for side dishes as well as setting the table. They still had some time yet, so she wasn't too concerned.

"So how's college treating you?" Ichigo asked, breaking the relative silence on their walk back toward the house.

Yuzu shrugged her shoulders slightly, careful not to let anything spill from her hands. They paused in front of the door where Ichigo maneuvered the baskets in his arms to pull it open for his sister to step inside. He came in behind her, listening while she explained that she was doing well and wasn't too worried about grades.

"I'm not a first year anymore, you know, so I've got things mostly figured out. Unlike most of my friends, I've already decided what I want to do. I'm not scrambling or worried like everyone else seems to be."

"You always did have your ducks in a line," Ichigo emptied his arms of the baskets carefully and ruffled Yuzu's hair. "If only the rest of us could be so organized as you."

"Hey, you make me sound like I'm old and dusty!" Yuzu said, unloading her arms onto the kitchen counter before picking out choice vegetables to start rinsing them off. Ichigo helped hand her some especially juicy looking cherry tomatoes before rummaging in the cupboards for a cutting board.

"I didn't mean it that way and you know it," Ichigo said. "You're amazing, I don't know what we'd do without you."

Yuzu bounced happily on her feet while shaking the water from her hands. "Yeah, I suppose I am pretty awesome. I guess it runs in the family."

Ichigo nodded and found a knife to start chopping things up while Yuzu started breaking leaves of lettuce into edible chunks.

"So tell me more about Grimmjow," Yuzu said, peering over at her brother with sparkling, maple eyes. Ichigo shook his head, unable to resist smiling when hearing his boyfriend's name.

"We just started officially dating last night, but we've been hanging out for a few weeks. He went with a bunch of us to Hueco Mundo last weekend for Shin's birthday, and everything was just so…perfect, you know? We just clicked, everything is really easy with him."

"Good, good!" Yuzu brought out a bowl and started throwing the different ingredients for the salad together while Ichigo moved on to chop up some cucumbers. "You two haven't had any problems then?"

"Well, I don't know. Nobody's perfect or anything and I still have a lot to learn about him, but we're doing great so far as I can tell."

"Sounds like you have more to say, Go-Go," Yuzu gave a knowing look to her brother.

Ichigo knew there was no hiding and took a slow breath, reminding himself that this was his sister and he could be honest with her. There had never been a time when she showed any disregard for his feelings or disinterest in what he had to say. In truth, Ichigo felt like he was kind of selfish when it came to her, always talking about himself, but Yuzu would always insist, explaining that she didn't have many interesting things going on and loved to hear about him. "Well, first of all, he can't know about our nicknames. Not just yet."

Yuzu giggled and nodded. "I think I can handle that. Though, if you two become serious, he's going to find out eventually," When Ichigo was silent, she raised her eyebrows and stopped what she was doing to study the guilty look on his face. "It's already getting serious, isn't it?"

Ichigo hesitated, using the knife a little more vigorously than necessary while he mulled over the next thing he'd say. "Maybe? I'm not sure." His eyebrows pulled together. "Can I tell you something?"

"Don't be silly," Yuzu tossed a stray bit of lettuce at her brother, who blocked it with his forearm and grinned.

"Grimmjow sort of.. told me that I'm the first guy he's ever been interested in."

Yuzu was silent for a moment, then said "Then you two are taking it slow?"

"Kind of?" Ichigo chuckled, realizing how cryptic he was being about all of it. It wasn't as if he wanted to go into detail about what he and Grimmjow had done, but there wasn't any easy way to explain how they were when alone. "I guess I just don't know how to act or treat him since he's new to all of this. He acts brave and macho but I can't be sure what he's thinking without pestering him about it all the time."

"Hmm," Yuzu rinsed her hands off a final time and finished mixing the salad together before putting some foil over the bowl and setting it in the fridge. "Your first boyfriend was more experienced than you, wasn't he? Maybe think of how he treated you. Did you like what he did?"

"Shuuhei?" Ichigo smiled fondly at the memory of his first male relationship. Shuuhei Hisagi was his dream boy back in high school, one of the cutest in the whole school in his opinion, but he hadn't been able to manage the guts to ask him out until his junior year. Shuuhei was an openly gay senior at the time, but the age difference and the fact that Ichigo shared hardly any friends with him made it hard to find any excuse to even be in the same hallway as him. Other than to gawk at how cute he was, which was more common than Ichigo would ever admit.

It was Tensa that finally convinced Ichigo to introduce himself, and somehow things had turned out better than he would have ever dreamed. Okay, so they weren't together anymore, but you can only expect so much from your first relationship after coming out of the closet.

"Shuuhei was really sweet, I'm sure you remember that. He let me call all the shots, but I always kind of wanted him to push me a little more, if that makes any sense."

Yuzu untied a yellow ribbon that held her hair up, letting soft brown locks fall around her face. "I suppose it's natural for him not to want to push you too much, but I think I understand what you mean," She shook her head side to side, a habit she had when her bangs were in her eyes. Ichigo had picked it up, too, and even saw Karin do it from time to time. "Why don't you ask Grimmjow what he wants?"

"I've thought about it but we're both indecisive and stubborn. We'll end up staring each other down until we kiss or something and never get anything resolved. It's harder than you think having a boyfriend you can't help wanting to kiss every time you look at him.." Ichigo rolled his eyes at his own words. Was he really complaining about having a significant other that was too attractive?

No. Absolutely not.

Yuzu clasped her hands together and gasped, startling Ichigo from his thoughts. "You've kissed?"

"He kissed me," Ichigo turned to lean against the counter with his hands resting on the edge of it. "The first two times, actually.."

"And ..beyond kissing?"

"I am _not _telling you that!"

"So there's more!" Yuzu giggled, moving over to tug on Ichigo's sleeve. "What else? Hm? Hmm?"

Ichigo groaned, his own way of begging her for mercy.

"Aw, you know I won't really push."

Ichigo relaxed and brought his sister into his arms. "I know you won't because you're the best."

"Don't believe a word of that. He says the same crap to me," Karin spoke from the kitchen entrance, both hands on her hips. Behind her, both Isshin and Grimmjow stood with strange expressions.

"What's with you guys?" Ichigo asked, warily pulling from the hug.

Grimmjow stepped forward, face falling grave as he put both hands on Ichigo's shoulders. He didn't even know where to start. "Your father…in the garage…he has.." For a moment, it looked like Grimmjow might hyperventilate.

Ichigo snickered. This sort of behavior was a common thing for boyfriends and even friends that came to his place. Ichigo was surprised Grimmjow hadn't said something about it sooner. That is, the huge garage full of antique cars his father collected. "Oh, is that it?"

Grimmjow's eyes slowly widened as he nodded. "Can I?" he asked softly, fingers massaging Ichigo's shoulders while he waited.

Ichigo looked at his equally excited father, a bored looking Karin and then over to Yuzu who smiled at him and shrugged.

"Alright you can go," he said.

"But don't get yourselves filthy," Yuzu added with her motherly tone, to which Ichigo agreed. It was bad enough that his father wanted to out in the garage in a suit, he didn't need Grimmjow dirtying up his clothes and smelling funny when he came back in, too.

"You know, you may never see him again," Karin said as Isshin left with Grimmjow hot on his tail.

Ichigo frowned, scratching his arm inattentively while he replayed the image of Grimmjow walking out of the room with his hips swaying side to side.

"Earth to Ichi!" Karin shouted, having moved to stand in Ichigo's face to block out the view of the empty kitchen doorway. "Oi, have you finally gone brain dead?"

Ichigo blinked and looked slightly downward at his sister. She was almost his height now. When did that happen? "What do you mean _finally_?"

"I just figured that someday you'll end up taking after dad and become a complete moron, too. The only mystery is _when_ that'll happen."

"What did you say?" Ichigo grabbed Karin and tossed her over a shoulder. As Karin kicked and squealed, Ichigo took her back out into the family room and dropped her onto a couch before burying her in its cushions and sitting on her. He didn't put all his weight on her, but did bounce a couple of times while she struggled to breathe between giggles and pleads for him to get up.

"Who's going to take after dad?" Ichigo asked, one hand reaching beneath a pillow to poke at Karin beneath it while he put a little more of his weight on her. "Whooo?"

"You? Grimmjow? The tooth fairy?" Karin squealed "Who cares, whatever, just gedoff, you fatty!"

"This is not helping your case," Ichigo said calmly, lifting a hand to feign inspecting his fingernails.

"Holy crap," Karin wheezed and Ichigo let up a little, worried he'd gone too far. Then a thin fingered hand closed around his wrist and pulled his hand further beneath the pillow. Ichigo felt a sharp pain in two of his fingers and yelped, hopping off of the pillows over his sister and struggling to retrieve his hand. "What the hell? You bit me!"

Yuzu had been standing in the corner of the room, looking on anxiously and wondering what to do. Now, she giggled and watched as Ichigo jumped around the room shaking his hand and whining while Karin busted out of the pile of pillows and tackled him to the floor.

_Ah, just another night in the Kurosaki home._

* * *

><p>"And that concludes the grand tour of my collection," Isshin said with a flourish of his arms, bowing and waving to Grimmjow as if he were accepting an award.<p>

Grimmjow smirked, still surprised that Isshin managed to round together such a collection of rare machines. Before the starry eyed glint had even worn off, Isshin was handing him a beer and directing him to some chairs he had set up nearby.

"Sometimes I just like to stare at them," Isshin explained, receiving a nod from Grimmjow. They sat and both their beer cans hissed as they cracked them open.

"At the risk of sounding like a typical parent, mind if I ask how you met my son?" Isshin reclined in the chair, tugging his suit jacket open for air while he studied Grimmjow's pensive face.

"Well, in light of being typical, I'll be honest and let you know that we met in a bar. The one he works at, Benihime's I believe it's called?"

"That's the one," Isshin sipped from his can and "Ahh'd" immediately afterward. "I put a lot of work into that joint myself, believe it or not. Was a real piece of work when Kisuke first picked it out."

"You know the owner?"

"I sure do. Been friends with that guy for as long as I can remember. Zan too, though not quite as long. At any rate, they're like family around here. Ichigo's been buddies with Zan's son since we moved out here."

Grimmjow had guessed he might have more opportunity to get for information for his assignment, but he hadn't expected the chance to come by when talking to Ichigo's father. That Isshin was so involved in the business at the bar could turn out to be a perk. On the other hand, that may mean that he had something to do with whatever Sosuke was interested in. What was up with this dinky little bar anyway? Why were so many people surrounding it oblivious and carefree, and yet there was still supposedly a secret beneath it all? Maybe he was just on the wrong trail and it had nothing to do with the bar, but Grimmjow had a feeling about it.

"Zan?" Grimmjow asked, thinking back on any of the people he pegged as regulars or staff around Benihime's. He did notice there was a man with shoulder length, brown hair and about as much of an obsession with sunglasses as Shiro that would sometimes hang around when the blond bar owner was there. Mostly he'd come in and then go straight down stairs, which Grimmjow had found to be particularly interesting since his trip down there when he met Ichigo hadn't uncovered much of anything. Now that he thought more about it, Droopy, or as he knew him now, Tensa, was likely that guys' son.

"By Ichigo's friend, do you mean Tensa?" Grimmjow asked, earning a nod from Isshin and watching the man take a deep swallow from the can.

"Sorry, I don't usually like to drink around the girls," Isshin smirked and then spread his legs while sinking further in the chair. "But yeah, Tensa. Have you met him already?"

"Ichigo probably told you about us going out to Hueco Mundo last weekend? I went with them and Tensa was there along with Ichigo's friends and some of my own."

"Ah, sounds like you guys had a great time then, I'm glad. I don't go out on the yacht all that often what with Yuzu getting seasick easily and Karin is uninterested in sunbathing or being cooped up on it for long. Nice to hear somebody's getting some use out of the thing, it was expensive enough!" Isshin chuckled, and Grimmjow followed his lead.

The two men spent a bit longer finishing off their drinks and then Isshin collected their cans to throw them away. "Better get back in there before Karin and Ichigo trash the living room."

Grimmjow raised a brow, but didn't ask. He got his answer when the two of them got back inside to find both of the girls and Ichigo all sprawled out on the floor with couch cushions everywhere and everything from the coffee table on the ground with them. Luckily, none of it looked to be broken or fragile. It was probably like that on purpose.

Ichigo lifted his arms in the air with a big smile when Grimmjow walked in. "Join us!" the tangerine beckoned after Grimmjow asked what had happened. Isshin wandered off, Yuzu trotting along behind him and scolding him about the creases already forming in his pants.

"Why did you put a suit on anyway? You're so silly, dad!" Yuzu said, her voice fading away as they continued into the dining room to check on their dinner.

Grimmjow knelt down next to Ichigo and allowed himself to be pulled onto the ground. When his lip curled, Karin smiled. "Don't worry, Yuzu vacuums this floor like every other day."

Grimmjow glanced at her then back at Ichigo. "So I take it this room doubles as a wrestling ring?"

Ichigo nodded with a goofy smile. If he wasn't so nervous about what Karin might say, Ichigo might have kissed Grimmjow right there. Instead he just gazed in blue eyes for a drawn out moment, then reached for Grimmjow's hand and started pulling him back off the floor. "Let's help Yuzu out."

As they walked toward the kitchen, Ichigo suddenly stopped, causing Grimmjow to run into his back and Karin into his. Ichigo turned around with a finger to his lips and tipped his head toward the inside of the kitchen where Yuzu and Isshin were talking. The clinking of glasses and plates being pulled from the cupboards accompanied their conversation.

"Dad, we can't start planning a wedding before they even get engaged! They've only been dating a day, let's give them some time to figure things out," It was Yuzu's voice, more stern than usual but still with a hint of amusement at her father's antics.

"But what is there to figure out? Grimmjow is clearly perfect for my son!" Isshin set the plates in his hands down on the counter and ruffled Yuzu's hair, effectively blinding her when her bangs fell over her eyes. "I may still long for him to find a beautiful woman like Masaki to start a family with, but I cannot help myself when I see him so happy with such a wonderful man like Grimmjow!"

Isshin swooned, leaning into his daughter and Yuzu barely caught herself before bracing her arms against the kitchen counter.

"Dad, you're doing it again," she warned, a dangerous glint in her eyes that made Isshin's back straighten right away and his dreamy eyes fall into the flat, black orbs they normally were.

Ichigo took the opportunity to step into the room and immediately smacked his father upside the head before grabbing the empty dinner plates and marching off.

Grimmjow just stood in the doorway, jaw hanging open while Karin walked right passed him and took some glasses from the counter before pausing in front of her father, rolling her eyes and moving in the direction of the dining room.

"What? Have I done something wrong?" Isshin asked, switching gazes between Yuzu and Grimmjow who both stared at him wondrously.

"I believe they overheard your planning," Yuzu guessed, taking Grimmjow's silent stare as confirmation. She walked over to the stunned man and wrapped a tiny a hand around his thick forearm, guiding him out of the room. "Don't you worry about my father, he tends to exaggerate. The rest of us are fine with you and G—Ichigo taking your time and going at your own natural pace," Yuzu bit her lip at the quick slip she'd made with Ichigo's nickname around the house.

Grimmjow nodded dumbly, wondering how his casual conversation with Ichigo's father had turned into confirmation that he was a suitable life partner. By the time he was led into the room with the dining table, he'd shaken it off and smiled over at Yuzu while her hand fell away. He mouthed a silent "Thank you" and she giggled before helping her brother and sister set the table correctly for five.

* * *

><p>"Was it really that bad?" Tensa sipped from his Coke with both eyes staring across the table at Shiro. Shiro had just come from work and it didn't take Tensa long to realize he was in a very sour mood about something that had happened there.<p>

Earlier in the day, the brunet had gotten a call from Shinji and he'd been questioned twice over about what he knew of where Shiro worked, what he did all day and such. When Tensa was unable to produce much more than a time frame for when Shiro worked, Shinji quickly became suspicious and said to keep an eye on him before hanging up with the promise that he'd do the same for Nnoitra. Tensa still had no idea what was going on but figured this probably wasn't the best time to get any answers about Shiro's profession, not when he was in a bad mood.

Then again, it may be his best opportunity.

"It's nothin' I can't handle, but I'm tired of taking shit for Grimmjow's fuck ups," If the explanation wasn't enough, Shiro's face told all. "I ain't his damn babysitter; shouldn't be me having to deal with getting him places on time. What's so important that he had to do with Ichigo today anyway?"

"I'm not sure," Tensa returned to eating his sandwich, then perked up after a minute. "Shinji did mention something about Grimmjow going to meet Ichigo's parents. Maybe that's it? I know that sort of thing would be a big deal to Ichigo."

Having finishing his sub, Shiro crumpled the wrapper and let it fall on the table. "Big deal or not, Grimmjow could have done that any time. He should know better than to blow Sosuke off," Shiro scowled and looked away from Tensa. He knew he was being a whiny bitch and hated when people did that to him, but this was the third time Grimmjow had missed a meeting. Considering the point of the meetings was for Grimmjow in the first place, it was getting pretty old. Sitting in that cold as ice building with Sosuke, Kaname and Ulquiorra all staring down their noses at him was not Shiro's idea of a good time. Well, Sosuke and Ulquiorra stared. Kaname sort of just looked pissed off in his general direction- which he was exceedingly talented at. Even Shiro wasn't stupid enough to mess with that guy, blind or not.

But why couldn't Sosuke and his little herd of assholes put some of that wasted effort into finding Shiro a job that wasn't easily wrapped up in under a week? Shiro was paid well when he had an assignment and wasn't struggling financially, but the time between jobs for him was getting longer and he was finding that having nothing to do was boring as all hell. It wasn't as if he could spend all that time with Tensa either because the kid was supposed to be under the impression that he worked most days like normal people did.

Tensa was silent for a couple of minutes while finishing off his own food. Shiro ate a lot faster than him but never complained about having to wait. Getting a name out of Shiro without trying at all was surprising to Tensa, and it made him think that Shinji's ideas were all just paranoia. Shinji liked to take thing overboard a lot of the time, but Tensa couldn't blame him; it was always exciting to hear his wild ideas. But if Shiro was so willing to talk openly with him about work, then it couldn't have been _that_ secret. At the very least, if Shinji's suspicion was right, they could look into the name he heard…Sosuke, was it? And see where that led him. Problem was, without a last name it might just be a dead end.

"Sosuke? Is that your boss?" Tensa asked, keeping his eyes down to avoid looking anxious about the answer.

"You could say that," Shiro got up out of the fast-food restaurant booth. "Gotta piss, I'll be right back."

Tensa wiped his mouth and nodded, watching Shiro go before sighing to himself. He should have been worrying about cheering Shiro up instead of snooping for information. While cleaning up the table and throwing their trash away, Tensa decided he would do just that. Shiro was more fun when in a good mood, and even if it meant Tensa had to stick his neck out to get Shiro to calm down, he was willing to do it.

The relationship between them had been moving slow when compared to that of his friends, but Tensa was glad for it. As much as he was attracted to Shiro, he still had his doubts and questions. He had only been in one other serious relationship before. It didn't end so well so Tensa had the tendency to put walls up and shut people out that he wasn't already close with.

Tensa was still shocked that on their first night meeting each other, he'd allowed Shiro to kiss him on the Ferris wheel. It wasn't as if it were totally against his will. He should have expected that much after realizing within the first couples minutes that Shiro did whatever the fuck he wanted, but it was still more attention and honesty than he was used to getting from somebody all at once.

Tensa was comfortable with the way things were progressing; nothing too serious, but just the two of them hanging out and speaking on the phone most evenings. Shiro made a habit of thoroughly flustering him with his sly tongue and lewd comments, but he never went too far, which confused Tensa as he always expected him to. It was an acceptable tug of war between too careful and over the line. They'd only kissed a handful of times since the night at the carnival and none of those times were quite as pushy as the first. Tensa was actually a little afraid to admit that he'd been hoping for Shiro to push just a slight bit more when he stole each kiss. That wasn't to say he didn't enjoy the ones he was given, but a little tongue might have gone a long way in getting Tensa to be a little less stiff and shy, and a little more uninhibited.

When Shiro came back from the bathroom, he still wore a big scowl. Tensa got up out of the booth to meet him and wrapped his arms around his waist in a soft hug. Confused, Shiro stiffened and looked at the brown mess of hair against his face. "What's this?" he asked.

"You're upset," Tensa said simply, squeezing Shiro once before letting go. He looked up at the albino, squinting at those golden eyes covered with shades.

"Well I'm not anymore," Shiro took Tensa's hand and led him out of the sandwich shop. "Bein' pissed off is a waste of my– our time."

Tensa smiled and when they reached the parking lot, they kissed once quickly before turning to get into their separate cars. With the door open, Tensa paused and looked back at Shiro who was unlocking the door to his SUV.

"Hey," said the brunet, clearing his voice as Shiro turned to face him.

"We're going to meet at your place, right?" Shiro asked.

"Yeah. I um..." Tensa shoved his hands in his pockets then pulled them back out. It was ridiculous; he had to get over these nerves. It felt like his feet weighed a ton as he stepped forward and he grabbed the front of Shiro's shirt, bringing them hip to hip. Tensa tore Shiro's sunglasses away, stared him in the eyes and then closed his own to give the albino an insistently open mouthed kiss.

Unsure about where this side of Tensa had come from, Shiro stood shocked with his eyes wide open. Tensa parted his mouth over his own and then licked and sucked at his bottom lip. Shiro was not about to deny that sort of invitation. He groaned and brought the brunet closer, rubbing his slender back and focusing his attention into the suddenly very fiery kiss Tensa was giving him in the middle of the Subway parking lot. He let his tongue peek out to meet Tensa's and pushed a hand up into the back of his hair, pressing him into the kiss a little deeper before they parted.

"Now that was a fuckin' kiss," Shiro said, voice still breathy while his eyes dipped to Tensa's swollen lips. "You sure didn't want me being upset, huh?"

"No!" Those still dilated eyes grew slightly in size and Tensa's face flushed. "I mean, well, I just wanted to.." Tensa bit his lip and frowned around it as he shrugged. "I've wanted to do that for a while."

"Well fuck, you shoulda done it earlier then," Shiro framed Tensa's cheeks with both of his pale hands and smiled into his eyes. "Don't ever hold back that sort of stuff, okay? I'm not cool with that."

Tensa nodded his head as Shiro still held it then gave the sunglasses back to him. "I'll see you at my place in ten?"

* * *

><p>Ichigo was just about to sit down with his family and Grimmjow for dinner when his phone rang. Excusing himself, he took it another room over and answered, hoping it would be quick. On the other end was a slightly out of breath Tensa sounding like he'd just downed a dozen energy drinks, both of which were out of the norm for the brunet. Tensa wasn't ever exactly sad, but was normally calm, which made his tone surprising, and on top of that, it was unlikely for Ichigo to ever see Tensa winded. The guy may look small, but he was sturdy for his size and very much in shape.<p>

"Ichi? Hey, I just wanted to see what you were up to," Tensa breathed deeply to steady his voice. "Shiro was talking about Grimmjow missing a meeting or something and I heard from Shinji that you two were together but I wanted to make sure."

Ichigo blinked, ignoring the temptation to cut the call short and indulge in the wonderful smells wafting from the dining room. Yuzu had cooked up some cider pork chops with just a dab of mustard and cooked egg noodles with a side of peas. Add to that the fresh salad they put together earlier. All of it sounded amazing but Tensa had rambled on the phone for the first time since Ichigo could remember and that put up a flag. Either Tensa had somehow become worried for him, or something else was going on.

"Yeah, we're actually back at my house with the family. We were about to eat dinner but if something's going on man, I'm here."

"Oh. No, nothing is really… " Tensa winced at his bad timing. "I'm sorry, you were about to eat. I can call you later."

Ichigo adjusted the phone and turned away from the dining room. "I have a few minutes even if it's not important. Did something happen with Shiro?"

Tensa leaned back in his car seat, letting his hand fall from the wheel. After Shiro left, he'd decided to wait before leaving to give Ichigo a call. He wasn't entirely sure why, but after what just happened, Ichigo seemed like the only person for him to tell. He'd still been winded from the kiss when he connected the call, his face flush and nerves all a mess. Tensa hadn't ever been the first to kiss somebody until today and this time it wasn't just a natural thing. He'd unleashed all the pent up need he'd had on Shiro without any warning at all and surprised himself with just how passionate the kiss had turned out to be.

"I kissed Shiro a moment ago," Tensa blurt out and felt his face heat up when Ichigo went silent.

"Er…haven't you already- Oh, _you _kissed _him_," Ichigo grinned and leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes. He could definitely relate with what Tensa was feeling. That sudden courage his friend had when he kissed Shiro was probably similar to the effect Grimmjow had on him. He may not have been as shy as Tensa but there was definitely a quality Grimmjow had that provoked him to want to do what he normally wouldn't. Such as play in the water fountain in a public place or bring said boyfriend over to meet his family on the second day they were dating.

"How was it?" Ichigo asked.

"It was…" Tensa struggled for a word and sighed happily. "Pretty hot. I kind of just sprung it on him out of nowhere so he was surprised."

"Nice job! Way to keep him on his toes," Ichigo smiled, genuinely happy for his friend.

Tensa laughed nervously. "That's all I really called about so we can talk later if you want to go."

"Alright. Do you have a shift at Benihime's tomorrow?" Ichigo peeked around the corner to see Grimmjow holding up two fingers as bunny ears behind Karin's head, causing Yuzu to giggle.

"No," Tensa answered. "I have the day off. I think Kisuke said he'd cover it since he was expecting someone or something."

"Hm, he gave me the day off too. Would you want to do something then, just us two and maybe Shinji?"

"Sure. That sounds great, actually."

"Okay, I'll give you a call tomorrow. Have a nice time with Shiro tonight."

"I will, you too."

"Kay, bye," Ichigo hung up after Tensa's goodbye and wandered back toward the food. Everybody was seated, waiting and making conversation without eating just yet. Ichigo sat down quickly and apologized, to which everyone brushed it off then continued talking about something Ichigo hadn't quite picked up on.

Food was loaded up onto plates, bowls of side dishes passed around for people to take their share. The five of them enjoyed the meal while discussing various things. Such as Karin's new interest in soft ball or Isshin's boring stories from work. Ichigo couldn't help but smile through it all; good food, good company, everything felt so right. Grimmjow looked happy, too, wolfing down more than his share and taking seconds upon Yuzu's insisting that there was plenty more.

Once the meal was done, they kept talking, allowing the food to settle before Karin and Ichigo got up to clear the table. Yuzu and Isshin started filling Grimmjow in on their tradition of playing board games or similar activities after dinner and Grimmjow seemed plenty interested. By the time Karin and Ichigo returned from rinsing off the dishes and setting them in the dish washer, Grimmjow was shuffling a deck of cards, copying the motions of Ichigo's father and sister while they laid some of their cards out into piles face down.

"Group solitaire?" Ichigo asked. "With a newbie in the house?" He sat back down next to Grimmjow and grabbed his own deck of cards to start setting them up. "Do you know how to play?" Ichigo looked over at his blue-haired boyfriend to see that he looked lost, but was still trying to put on a show of confidence.

"No, but I'm a quick learner," Grimmjow winked and Ichigo silently wished that the gesture wouldn't make his dick twitch each and every single time.

Yuzu scooted her chair closer to Grimmjow and patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll help you out a bit the first time," She smiled over at him then looked up when Karin spoke.

"Ichigo totally sucks at his game anyway, so at least you know you'll beat him," Karin drawled, setting her own cards out with a look of disinterest.

"I do not suck!" Ichigo countered, tossing his empty card box at Karin and laughing when it bounced off of her head.

Karin glared over at him but made no move to retaliate. "We'll see when Grimmjow mops the floor with your crazy hair, won't we?"

"It's not crazy," Ichigo muttered, looking down to work on thinning his pile of cards.

"The goal is to run out of cards before everyone else," Yuzu explained, pointing to the decks everyone held. "So it's like regular Solitaire, just with other people. You can play on anyone's piles if you want. Most beginners choose to do that because it's easier to use up most of your cards until you learn how to balance between building your own piles and everyone else's."

"Don't tell him that!" Ichigo complained, using the distraction to lay a card down on one of Grimmjow's piles.

Isshin was quiet –for once-, glancing up at his children and Grimmjow now and then to see that they all had smiles despite their tiny quarrels. It prided him to see them all getting along so well. Even when their weekends together were always nice for him, tonight seemed especially enjoyable with Grimmjow around. The guy just made everyone more lively, and it helped that his attitude was one of acceptance of their family and traditions.

"It's only fair, Ichigo. He should know the rules at least," Yuzu said, looking back over at Grimmjow. "When you have three cards you can look at any of them instead of only playing from the top card, since sometimes you'll get stuck and have no more moves to make when there's that few left."

Grimmjow nodded, his face serious as he focused on looking between the top card on his deck and everyone else's piles. "You guys do this every weekend?" he asked, hoping to keep the atmosphere comfortable.

"Yes," Yuzu answered. "Unless something comes up for most of us all at once. Sometimes we go out or have close friends and family come over. You are welcome to join us any time you want, by the way."

Grimmjow smiled, thanking her while Ichigo blushed next to him, surprised by his sister's forwardness and confidence that their relationship would last.

Karin snorted, but Grimmjow ignored it, wondering to himself how he'd so easily found himself fitting into this kind of environment. The extent of his experience with meeting families consisted of three different times. Him picking up a date for a dance back in high school and being grilled by her parents, meeting his ex-wife's family, and looking after Starrk's little sister. None of those had been particularly heartwarming either, so Grimmjow considered a situation as cozy as being at the Kurosaki home to be particularly rare. Weird though, it wasn't as uncomfortable to him as he thought it might be.

Seeing the dumb family shows on TV always made Grimmjow's lip curl and he'd thanked his stars he wasn't ever in a family like that. But being with Ichigo's family was a totally different experience. What surprised him even more was that they were so close and up beat after losing such an important family member. He supposed it must have been what brought them together and kept them holding on to what they still had. Whatever they were doing, it seemed to be working.

Conversation sprung up now and then as they continued to play, but mostly they were silent and focused, all with smiles or looks of concentration on their faces. Eventually, Grimmjow happened to look over and see that Karin had only two cards left and was close to winning. In a rush, he started frantically searching for places for his own, knowing he wouldn't win, but at least he could beat Ichigo.

Ichigo noticed his boyfriend's sudden haste and for the next few minutes it was an all-out race, cards slapping down and arms crossing the table here and there furiously. Both Yuzu and Isshin looked on, surprised, and stifled laughs behind their hands.

When Karin finally finished, claiming herself winner, both Ichigo and Grimmjow quickly counted their cards while Yuzu and Isshin did the same.

"Fourteen," Yuzu stayed, pushing her own deck toward the center of the table with a smile.

"Eighteen," Isshin said, then all eyes went to Grimmjow and Ichigo, who both grinned confidently.

"So?" Ichigo asked, hiding his cards in his hands so Grimmjow couldn't guess how many there were. "What's your count?"

Grimmjow shrugged. "You first."

Karin rolled her eyes, getting up to leave them to their ego war. It didn't matter who had less, she won and either way the result would be the same. One or the other boy would kick the others ass. Karin may not have known Grimmjow long, but she knew Ichigo. He'd find a way to say something stupid whether he won or not.

"Fine. I had five," Ichigo grinned.

Grimmjow stared for a moment, his face falling while he settled his cards down on the table and slowly spread them out. "Well, I guess you _are _good at this."

Ichigo nodded, smile widely spread across his face. "It's alright, you did pretty good for a beginner."

"Oh, I know," Grimmjow clarified, continuing to spread his cards until all of them showed. "Because I had four!"

"What!" Ichigo shot out of his chair and snatched Grimmjow's cards, counting them himself. "This is bullshit, you hid some of them!"

Grimmjow chuckled, leaning back in his chair with his arms coming up behind his head. "Nope. It looks like your sister was right. I kicked your butt."

"You beat me by one card!" Ichigo whined. He tossed the cards back on the table and stomped away.

"Touch_y_," Grimmjow remarked, looking to the two remaining Kurosaki family members at the table. "Is he always like that?"

Yuzu nodded. "Ichigo always loses at group solitaire, that's why we don't play that game very often. I just figured since you're new, you might do worse than him so he'd feel better about playing."

Isshin chuckled and got up to squeeze Yuzu's shoulders gently. "That's my sweet daughter, always thinking of others."

Yuzu blushed and when the silence became uncomfortable, Grimmjow excused himself to make sure his relationship wasn't actually in any real trouble. When he failed to find Ichigo in any of the rooms he'd been in, Grimmjow went back to the living room to ask Karin if she knew where he went.

"Try up stairs," she said, speaking before he could ask.

"Thanks," he said, wandering back toward the entry way of the home where he thought he'd seen a stairway. Sure enough, it was there, so Grimmjow went up quietly, pausing now and again to look a few of the pictures lining the walls. One of them had little Ichigo as a baby with hair bright as ever and his face spread with a smile. Ichigo was perched in the arms of a beautiful woman with hair similar in color to Yuzu's that flowed out over her shoulders, a lock of it clutched in the tangerine's little pudgy hand. It was likely the cutest thing Grimmjow had ever seen, but it saddened him that that woman, Ichigo's mother by his guess, wasn't around anymore to make her son smile.

Shaking it off, Grimmjow continued up the stairs and heard a door slam down the hall. Rolling his eyes, he walked straight in the direction of the slamming, then against his better judgment, entered without knocking.

Ichigo sat on a queen sized bed in a room decorated with a mixture of light and dark blue colors. The duvet was rumpled beneath Ichigo's sitting form, his arms and legs both crossed, back straight. Ichigo scowled so deep, Grimmjow wondered if the kid practiced that face.

"Are you actually that pissed?" Grimmjow asked carefully, coming near to the bed, but not sitting down.

Ichigo shrugged, turning his head to the side like a petulant child. In his mind, he wanted anything but to fight, but his body seemed to have other ideas. _Pouting like a kid; great idea for first night back at home with the boyfriend. Except not._

When Grimmjow stepped closer, Ichigo let his shoulders drop, then tightened his arms around his middle, biting his lip when he felt the bed dip as Grimmjow sat next to him.

"If you want," Grimmjow started, clearing his voice and then going on. "I can lose to you next time so you won't have a fit."

Ichigo rolled his eyes and sighed, still keeping his head turned away while Grimmjow pondered what to say next. To Grimmjow, the thought had been about as kind as he could get without saying something that might make him feel weird.

"Is that a no?" Grimmjow asked, scooting closer and swallowing while his hand came out to touch Ichigo's side. The tangerine jolted at the sudden touch, then Grimmjow watched his frame relax. "Well that's too bad, 'cause I was thinking maybe you could show me something you're good at. You know, something you can probably beat me at."

Ichigo chewed the living crap out of his lip, but he was not backing down. Grimmjow's offer was interesting, sure, but he couldn't give in that easily, not when the proposition was still so vague. Putting on his best poker face, Ichigo huffed and closed his eyes, forcing himself to quit tearing at his bottom lip with his teeth.

"I was going to ask if you wanted to come back to my house after this, but I guess you're not interested," Grimmjow said, allowing his voice to take on a remorseful tone. Hey, he was actually benefitting from his job talents for once.

Ichigo looked sidelong at Grimmjow, then back at the wall, not realizing he was holding his breath until Grimmjow started to get up. That was when the chain reaction began. It started with Ichigo's lips, twitching and anxious, tongue ready to fire off the words he was burning to say_. 'What is it that you think I'm good at that you want to try?'_ But he was too fucking stubborn to ask. At least until his stomach started to clench, eyes wandering over as Grimmjow shuffled toward the door, and then Ichigo was on his feet, nearly tripping over them, and he cross the room in a flash, tugging on the back of Grimmjow's shirt to turn him around. Ichigo looked in those vivid, blue eyes and was shocked to the core when realization settled over him.

Ichigo wanted Grimmjow, so badly. More than he'd ever wanted someone in his life. Just in that look, that sultry fucking stare, in the way that Grimmjow dealt with his childish anger, accepted his dramatic behavior and knew all the right weak points to hit. Ichigo couldn't have described it if he wanted to. Grimmjow was perfect for him and he didn't even know why.

"I want to come," Ichigo all but shouted, watching Grimmjow's eyes widen to discs. Then Ichigo was falling upon Grimmjow's lips, gripping thick biceps while pressing his body into the hard wall of Grimmjow's chest.

Call him bipolar, Ichigo was happy. This was how shit was supposed to work. He didn't want a guy that would back down to a fight with him, but he didn't want someone purposely pushing his buttons without knowing when to stop either. Grimmjow understood the balance without a word, knew how to call Ichigo on his bull and make him come crawling back without much more than a few words.

Maybe Ichigo just wanted what Tensa had, with his suddenly sprung kiss, or maybe he just wanted Grimmjow's lips on his own. Whatever it was, Ichigo knew he wanted to spend more time with his boyfriend and if Grimmjow was the one offering, he was all the more motivated to accept.

When they pulled back, Grimmjow looked into Ichigo's eyes and smiled dangerously. "So was that a yes? 'Cause I'm getting mixed signals here."

Ichigo laughed, wrapping his arms around Grimmjow's warm waist. "Yes."


	7. Lust

**Chapter Seven: Lust.**

**OR**

**Winner takes all.**

* * *

><p>After saying goodbye to the family and all of the niceties that went with it, Ichigo and Grimmjow hopped back into Ichigo's truck and started the drive to Grimmjow's place. Both of them wore big grins and exchanged a couple of curious looks throughout the duration. As they got closer, Ichigo strained to remember the right streets to turn on and even ended up going a block too far before finally asking Grimmjow where the heck he was supposed to be turning.<p>

"I was wondering when you were going to ask," Grimmjow had his feet up on the dash again and one arm hanging out of the window.

"Can you tell me soon? Like before I have to make a turn in somebody's drive way?" Ichigo pressed, attempting to swallow his pride with Grimmjow starting to laugh.

Grimmjow motioned out the window on his side of the truck. "Hang a right here, then another one two streets down."

With Ichigo following the instructions, they reached Grimmjow's place in short order, and Grimmjow got out to unlock the front door as Ichigo took his time removing his seatbelt and gathering his things. Grimmjow wasn't entirely sure how Ichigo had suddenly accumulated so many belongings or what was taking so long, and he sighed as he waited.

"Are you coming or what?" the blunet asked, holding Tera in one arm as he kept the door open for Ichigo's slow ass. There came a grunt from the truck and Ichigo's orange head popped out from the driver's side.

"Sorry. I've had my phone on silent since dinner so I missed a couple of texts."

Grimmjow nodded and closed the door behind Ichigo after he stepped inside. He let Tera down since she was already tired of being held and motioned a hand to the right. "The bedroom is down that way. You've seen the bathroom and kitchen… and this is pretty much the rest of the house," Grimmjow pointed toward the decently sized living room with two couches and a television.

It looked just as barren as Ichigo remembered, but his place wouldn't have been all that different if not for Yuzu's help. It certainly wasn't as decorated as he thought it would be based on the impression he got from Grimmjow's car. Maybe the blunet had just moved in, or wasn't planning on staying long?

Tera circled her way around Ichigo's legs bringing him out of his thoughts, and he bent to brush a hand over her back. "Just to clarify, you're okay with me staying over, right? I just figured since it's kind of late…"

"Oh cut the shit, it's ten p.m. I know you aren't so blind that you can't drive in the dark," Grimmjow smirked as Ichigo blanched, straightening up to full height in surprise. "But for the record, yes, I meant for you to stay tonight."

Ichigo's shoulders dropped and he smiled crookedly, stepping away. "And I'll be sleeping….where?" It had been one of the two things plaguing his mind on the drive over, though it was the easier topic to bring up.

"We'll figure that out when we get to it," Grimmjow mumbled, wandering into the kitchen to find a drink. "If you want something, help yourself."

Nodding to himself, Ichigo fell into a couch and immediately closed his eyes. The day had felt a lot longer than it actually was and he was suddenly feeling very tired. A part of him felt that was totally lame, but hey, that was life. "So what do you do in your free time?"

Grimmjow came back with a drink and took a seat next to Ichigo, sitting close enough that the tangerine had to scoot over. There was plenty of room, but he wanted to see if it was still easy to get on Ichigo's nerves.

As for Ichigo's question, Grimmjow was drawing a blank. Whenever he wasn't on a job he was working out, chilling in front of the television with a beer, or spending time with the other Seven members. It hadn't ever bothered him that he had no specific hobbies, and ever since his divorce from his ex, he'd found that he enjoyed having free reign of his off time, not having to make plans or deal with dumb bullshit like shopping or whatever else.

So what _were_ his hobbies? "Uh.. I like web design," _Lame! _Grimmjow told himself,_ Think of something else_. "Sometimes the guys and I play soccer out at Nnoitra's place." _There we go, sports_. That was a good, manly hobby to be proud of.

"He's got a huge yard and all," Grimmjow added, realizing how lackluster this conversation was getting. What were they doing small talking? They never had use for that crap before. When Grimmjow did that on a date it was either a way to pass the time with someone he hated until he could make his escape, or it was just transition into getting in the persons pants. He definitely didn't hate Ichigo.

_Damn it_. The blunet rolled his eyes. Grimmjow was used to being smooth, not retarded. Now he was coming down with amnesia or something and he couldn't think of the first thing to do to get Ichigo in the mood. Some kind of Freaky Friday shit was going on and it was _not_ cool.

When Ichigo predictably asked what was wrong, Grimmjow shrugged it off, and the silence started again, the only reprieve coming when Grimmjow flipped on the stereo and picked out some mellow tunes.

"Why did you want me to come over?" Ichigo asked tensely. His hands were in his lap and an idiot could tell he was uncomfortable. He squirmed to get situated on the couch and Grimmjow had to wonder if the tangerine didn't share his same tastes for firm, unrelenting furniture.

"Just to hang out, if that's okay," Lifting an arm, Grimmjow set it on the back of the couch behind Ichigo and allowed himself to slump a bit in his seat. "Is there something on your mind? You look kind of off."

Attempting to keep himself calm, Ichigo swallowed quietly, organizing his thoughts. "It's not a big deal, just something I've been thinking about since our last date."

"Didn't lose the bracelet already, did you?"

Ichigo shook his head again and thrust out his arm, holding his wrist in Grimmjow's face as proof. "No, I haven't even taken it off." Then Ichigo clamped his mouth shut and fought off the blush invading his cheeks. "It's…not that."

Grimmjow arced a thin blue brow and let his hand fall from the couch back to Ichigo's shoulder, closing the couple of inches between them by scooting closer. "Then what is it?" he murmured, letting his voice dip as his lips grazed the tangerines pink cheek.

Ichigo drew in a breath and stared at his lap. "About my reaction when I saw your…your gun."

"Ah," Grimmjow's other brow rose up to join its twin and he sat back an inch, studying the kids posture. "I meant to talk to you about that, was kind of an idiot move putting that to your chest. You know that, right?"

Ichigo bit his lip and nodded, not removing his gaze from his knees which he kept clenched together. His hands curled into fists against his thighs and he attempted to swallow lump in his throat again. "I don't know what I was thinking," he said, closing his eyes for a moment before shifting them sidelong at Grimmjow. "You were trying to tell me it was still loaded and I just kissed you like some sort of crazy person."

Frowning, Grimmjow tipped Ichigo's head up and stared in his worried eyes. "Hey, everyone reacts differently when they're shocked or scared, so don't worry about it." Pressing a soft kiss on the tangerine's lips, Grimmjow let free an appreciative groan and sat back, squeezing Ichigo's shoulder again. "I'll spare you the lecture since it seems like you know what you did, but don't pull that shit again, understand? I'm all for playing rough but surprising me like that isn't the way to do it, not when the guns' still loaded."

"Yeah, okay." Ichigo agreed, showing a winning smile that proved he wasn't quite as innocent as he looked.

After shaking his head, Grimmjow jerked his chin toward his PS3. "I just got a new racing game if you wanna try it out with me."

Ichigo nodded, and to Grimmjow's relief, the two were soon hunched forward on the couch, chatting animatedly and sipping cold beers as they took turns whipping each other's butts. Because the game was new to Grimmjow, he had little advantage, and with Ichigo sending him long looks between levels, it wasn't surprising that the tangerine pulled ahead in scores.

"Damn it!" Grimmjow watched his own car go tumbling back over front, landing on its top, completely totaled. Ichigo cheered with his own excitement and shoved a hand against Grimmjow's shoulder. "You better quit slacking off or I'm going to win."

"Are you sure you want to get cocky like that again? Don't you remember what happened earlier?"

It would have been easy for Ichigo to get mad at Grimmjow but instead, he thought of the kiss they had in his old bedroom back at his family home and smiled. "This time, I'm going to win."

"Really?" Grimmjow hunched forward again and hit the Start button on his controller to resume the game. "Then bring it on kid, let's see what you got."

There was a moment of silence where Ichigo fought the urge to get angry again, and he managed to ward it off with the following comment. "If I win, you have to stop calling me kid."

"The game or just this race? And what do I get when I win?"

"_If_ you win," Ichigo said slowly, "you pick your reward. And I'm only talking about this race, so my lead is gone, board reset."

"That's a risky deal for such a big prize, Ichigo."

"Why?" Ichigo attempted to focus on the screen while the start timer counted down from five. "It's not like you'll ask me to blow you or anything."

Grimmjow stared at Ichigo for a moment, eyes travelling over his body slowly before returning to Ichigo's face. "Would that be so bad?"

"Uhm…fuck, go!" Ichigo yelled as the timer hit zero and all of the cars at the starting line zoomed off onto the track. Grimmjow growled and hit the gas, unconsciously leaning his body side to side while he rode the turns smoothly and caught up to Ichigo without much effort at all.

The race continued like that for a couple of minutes, Grimmjow passing Ichigo and Ichigo passing him right back. When the final lap came around, Ichigo was in the lead by two cars and a pretty safe distance ahead, but Grimmjow wasn't about to give up.

"I hope you brought some knee pads, kid, 'cause I'm already feeling good about seeing you use that pretty mouth."

Ichigo tried his best to ignore the distracting thoughts brought on by Grimmjow's teasing, but it wasn't easy. He growled, mashing the remote in his hands harder as if it would make him go faster. Grimmjow was just one car behind him now, and he could feel the hair on the back of his neck rising at just the thought of being told to suck Grimmjow off. A part of Ichigo wanted to lose purposely and accept his fate, enjoy the fact that Grimmjow was willing to take their relationship that far tonight. But Ichigo's other half wanted to win. His pride needed this small glory, and for his sanity, he needed Grimmjow to stop with the fucking kid thing.

Grimmjow was on his tail now; Ichigo could almost feel him grinning from his side of the couch, legs already spreading wide as if preparing. The sweat on Ichigo's hands made the controller even harder to manage and he cursed beneath his breath. Ichigo decided quickly that if he was going to win or lose, it was going to be legitimate, so he put all his effort and focus into the race. As the finish line came into view, a smile was already brightening Ichigo's face. He was going to win. Grimmjow had no chance.

Grimmjow bit his lip and glanced at Ichigo. He looked so determined, so set on beating him this time, and it almost ashamed him to think of what he was about to do to change that. There was just no way Grimmjow was going down! Even if that meant playing dirty. Ichigo was going to lose just like earlier, and Grimmjow was sure as hell going to get another look at that pure-sex pouty face the tangerine made when he didn't get his way.

Grimmjow narrowed his eyes, keeping his car right up Ichigo's proverbial ass, ready to take any opening he was offered. That chance was only moments away, because as Grimmjow maneuvered the controller into one hand, his other was reaching out and sweeping up the inside of Ichigo's thigh.

Grimmjow could hear Ichigo gasp and grinned to himself. He let his hand continue upward while he frantically attempted to keep his own car in control with one hand doing the steering and keeping on the gas all at once, the controller sitting off balanced in his lap. Grimmjow could see Ichigo slowing down, could sense his hesitance to win. Sliding his hand higher up Ichigo's leg, Grimmjow thought he saw a breath catch in the tangerine's throat as his fingertips grazed across his groin.

Then, like the sun peeking through holes in the clouds, Grimmjow found his opening. Just moments before the line was crossed, Grimmjow pulled around Ichigo's swaying car and brought his hand back to the controller just in time to pound the gas and take first place, leaving Ichigo in second by a couple of inches.

"YES!" Grimmjow shouted, dropping the remote and jumping to his feet. He celebrated loudly, hopping around to the sounds of his own excitement until he noticed Ichigo's silence. Grimmjow looked back to the couch to see the tangerine still sitting there with remote in hand and eyes blankly staring at the screen as it flashed with 'Player 1 Wins.'

"What….the…..fuck, Grimmjow?"

"What's wrong?" Grimmjow teased, winking at Ichigo. "You never said anything about playing fair."

Ichigo swallowed, feeling the heat crawling up the back of his neck as Grimmjow laughed uproariously. A mixture of rage and lust turned inside his gut until, like a rocket taking off, he shot up from the couch and tackled Grimmjow to the ground.

Even surprised, Grimmjow managed to fall safely enough that he didn't land on the coffee table or anything else sharp, but before he knew it, Ichigo had one of his arms pinned and was working on the next.

Grimmjow looked up at Ichigo's blazing, deep brown eyes and felt a chill race down his spine. He could feel the raw anger radiating from the tangerine in waves and it felt good to be the cause of such strong emotions, even if that made him crazy. Even if it got him punched in the face. Physically, he'd have no problem tossing Ichigo off, but that wouldn't have been half as fun.

There was a moment of silence where only Ichigo's heaving, agitated breaths were heard, and when Ichigo started to pull back, Grimmjow braced himself to be socked in the gut. He closed his eyes, wondering if the tangerine would really take such an easy shot, but instead of a hit, Ichigo let go of his arm and Grimmjow felt the distinct sensation of a hand pressing against the front of his jeans.

_Wait…what?_

Ichigo made quick work of the button and then zipper on Grimmjow's pants and kept his gaze down, attempting to hide his smirk beneath the fringe of his hair. Without pause, his hand dived into Grimmjow's jeans and as he searched lower, looking up at just the right moment.

Grimmjow pressed his head back against the carpet and he grinned when a warm hand closed around his quickly hardening cock. Grimmjow reopened his eyes to see a wide smile decked across Ichigo's face, the look in his eyes smoldering with that determination that he absolutely fucking loved. "I thought you were supposed to suck me, or are you plan on doing that with your hand?"

Rather than bickering, Ichigo dropped his gaze and angled Grimmjow out of his boxer shorts, licking his lips slowly when he revealed the now almost fully extended length. Ichigo groaned and felt his mouth ache to taste the soft skin his fingertips grazed. It surprised him that it hadn't taken much to get Grimmjow up, but he wasn't going to complain.

Grimmjow's lip caught between his teeth as he was exposed to the chill air of the room. Shaking his head slightly at how he'd underestimated the kid, he sucked in a breath and looked down on Ichigo. The anger had all but gone from the tangerine's expression, its only remnants being the splotches of red on his cheek bones. Ichigo's eyes had grown soft, glassy as they witnessed the way that very expression made Grimmjow's cock jump.

Ichigo slid his hand upward from the base slowly, feeling it get harder still while his eyes burned a line down Grimmjow's body. He practically devoured Grimmjow's erection with his eyes as he leaned in, ready to do the very same with his mouth. But then he paused, his eyes flying open. What he saw really shouldn't have been unexpected…but was he really seeing correctly?

"Why'd you fucking stop?" Grimmjow rolled his hips impatiently, sending his cock through Ichigo's loose grip and nudging the head against those sinful lips.

Ichigo looked lost for a moment, then shook his head slightly and…_he actually giggled._

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Grimmjow demanded. He knew damn well that his dick was nothing to laugh about and Ichigo was about to find that out if he didn't explain right fucking now.

Ichigo continued shaking his head and Grimmjow could swear he heard him snort.

"You're blue down here too, huh?"

"What?" Grimmjow gave Ichigo a disbelieving look then dropped his head back with a frustrated sigh. "You fucking reject. Don't you match?"

"I- wha...?" Ichigo looked flustered all of a sudden, which was all the more hot when cast behind the sight of Grimmjow's need. "Of course I do!" he exclaimed, as if it were common knowledge that all of his hair was just as orange as that on his head.

"Then why so shocked? Didn't you see it when we were on the beach?"

"I'm shocked because it's blue! And it was dark, I couldn't see that well."

Grimmjow chuckled. Of course, Ichigo had to play the oblivious card at a time like this. "You have got to stop being so damn cute."

"...huh?" Ichigo blinked.

Grimmjow rolled his eyes and patted Ichigo on the back of the head. "Will you shut up and put it in your mouth already?"

* * *

><p>"It isn't funny, Renji. This is about our child's well-being," Rukia folded her arms just above her belly. Her big blue eyes narrowed into slits. Across from her, Renji covered his mouth and shook his head, hardly trying to make up for the fact that he'd just accidentally severed the head of a defenseless stuffed animal by tossing it too high in the air, straight into the ceiling fan.<p>

The redhead had been in the middle of a discussion about how excited he was to have a daughter on the way when he had thrown the plush rabbit up and it had gotten caught in the blade of the fan, only to be ruthlessly cut down by the swirling death trap above.

"What will happen if you do that with our child?" Rukia said angrily, tapping her slippered foot on the ground with one eye starting to twitch. If it wasn't bad enough that Renji was still laughing like a lunatic, the animal he'd just destroyed had been her absolute favorite, one she had since she was young and was very excited to give to their baby girl.

"Well first of all," Renji snickered and then straightened out his face, determined not to make the penalty worse for what he had done. "I wouldn't be throwing our baby girl around like that. And second, that thing was so light, it flew way higher than a baby would!" Okay, that was probably not helping his case.

"That's your defense?" Rukia growled. She waited to see if Renji had anything else to say, and after a minute of silence stomped out of the room.

Renji sighed and rolled his eyes, finding the situation completely humorless anymore. He knew it was stupid to laugh about such a thing, and now he was realizing just how important that bunny had been to Rukia. It's just that anyone else he knew would have laughed along with him. Even Rukia would have if she wasn't so wound up from the pregnancy. Lately she had been walking out on Renji more and more often and now it was starting to worry him.

The fights they had were never anything serious, or at least they didn't start that way, but it always turned into Rukia slamming a door in Renji's face or storming off while he stood there confused and hurt. He should have known this would happen, had been warned by all of his friends that Rukia was probably going to be the angry type of pregnant mommy, but he'd loved her so much that he didn't care. Now, he wasn't regretting anything, he just wished he knew how to prevent these sorts of situations.

Renji hung his head and closed his eyes. "All of this for a stupid bunny." He knew what he had to do and that was to make it up to Rukia somehow. Renji reopened his eyes, shuffling his feet and deciding he would take a jog as he always did when he needed to think. He was going to make this work with his wife if he had to rip the damned fan out of the ceiling.

Renji smiled and picked up the pace, then almost tripped over something that squished beneath his foot. The redhead stopped and looked down, finding a white, floppy ear at his feet. Renji picked it up before finding the rest of the bunny pieces and changing his plan.

Mission: Reassemble Chappy the bunny - Commence.

* * *

><p>Grimmjow's fingers clawed at the carpet on either side of him and he dropped his head back on the carpet, groaning as Ichigo licked the entire underside of his cock, rolling his tongue and sending waves of pleasure throughout his body. "Come on, suck it for me, Ichigo," he murmured again, hoping his voice hadn't lost <em>all<em> of its demanding weight. Not two seconds after he'd told the kid to put it in his mouth, Ichigo had apparently decided upon the goal to tease the hell out of him. Being licked in such a way wasn't exactly torture, and Ichigo was _very_ talented, but Grimmjow was not a patient man.

Ichigo sent a glare up at him, but didn't complain. With a final, slow drag of his tongue around to the head, Ichigo gave it a gentle kiss and rub it against his wet lips, back and forth without breaking the blunet's gaze. Smirking up at Grimmjow's heavy, shining eyes, he flicked the tip of his tongue over the opening, watching the immediate reaction in a wave of flexed muscles all over Grimmjow's body.

Grimmjow would have a hard time believing that Ichigo wasn't enjoying it as much as he was. Come to think of it, it was possible that the tangerine feigned distraction and let him win. The moment he started to wonder, Grimmjow decided he didn't care.

Ichigo closed his lips around the blunet's cock and lowered his head, eyes glazing with lust while he enveloped the other man as slow as he could and massaged it with his tongue. Gradually, one of his hands travelled up Grimmjow's jean-clad thigh and rubbed it as his other hand worked the half of Grimmjow's length that he had yet to pull into his mouth. Relaxing his throat, Ichigo took what he could, a bit at a time with each slow pass.

Grimmjow could only form grunt and groans, hips thrusting carefully and eyes rolling back into his head. "Good at this, aren't you? Hah—" Grimmjow shivered when he felt himself hit the back of Ichigo's throat and gave in to the need to reach down and grab at soft, orange hair. Never would he have guessed a stupid game could have led to this; Ichigo was all but worshipping his cock and he didn't think he could ever get enough of it.

Rather than pulling back or batting Grimmjow's hands away, Ichigo moaned to the feel of fingers stroking his scalp and moved his hand away from Grimmjow's cock to start rhythmically working him all the way in and out of his mouth, pulling back with a slurping pop before diving back in and savoring the particular taste he'd been secretly craving for some time.

It may have been a while since he'd last given head, but Ichigo still remembered the feeling and the way he'd react when presented with such a thing as Grimmjow was offering him. Or he was he just taking it? There was just something about how vulnerable and different some people could be that touched Ichigo in a way he couldn't explain. Grimmjow especially was intriguing to watch as he struggled to keep his cool, just as he had on the night at the beach. Surprisingly, Grimmjow didn't look all that stressed, aside from the obvious threat in his eyes that promised death if Ichigo dared stop. All Ichigo knew was that he loved sucking, regardless of what that made him. He even preferred it over receiving, though he'd only ever admitted that to one person.

There was a time a while back when Ichigo had admitted this _problem_ to Shinji and the blond had been searching for a way to experience it himself ever since. Ichigo still hadn't given in, wanting to preserve their friendship by drawing a line, thin as it may be, but he suspected that if they had been single for any longer, his resolve may have quickly faded. Shaking away any thoughts of his friend, Ichigo renewed his focus on Grimmjow and sat back just long enough to breathe in deeply before sucking it into his mouth once more with his cheeks hollowing and eyes sliding shut.

Grimmjow's fingers flexed in Ichigo's hair and he felt himself pulse in warning on the hot tongue laving around his length. Ichigo had become even more driven in the last few moments, if that was even possible, and Grimmjow was made to face the realization that all of this was really happening, and he'd brought it on himself.

Grimmjow could have taken the job without becoming Ichigo's lover, he knew that, and he may very well have succeeded. But would that really have been enough? Ichigo was beautiful, even for a guy, and Grimmjow may have been high on a mixture of adrenaline and lust, but he wouldn't so soon take back his decision to become involved.

Taking his time, Ichigo slowed his pace, not dramatically, but enough to draw a deep, sexy whine from the blunet, languidly working his mouth with tightened lips and hard sucks. Ichigo watched Grimmjow's body shake; his back bowing off the floor as he drew closer to his release, and he felt a swell of pride fill his chest. Ichigo just loved knowing that he could please Grimmjow in such a way and that he was allowed, no,_ asked_ to do such a thing to him. Guiding Grimmjow deep into his throat, Ichigo reminded himself to relax and swallowed a couple of times. Grimmjow responded with a long string of groans that only made Ichigo hum in return, sending tingling vibrations along Grimmjow's skin.

With time, the lack of space in Ichigo's pants grew unbearable, so he lifted himself from where he'd perched between Grimmjow's long, spread legs and got on his knees. Unzipping his pants with one hand while the other held him up, Ichigo took himself out with a wince. He pulled back from Grimmjow's length to look down and adjusted the fabric of his jeans so it didn't brush against him painfully.

"Ichigo.." Grimmjow panted, looking up with eyes half-mast. He seemed dazed and all sorts of anxious, but Ichigo took his sweet time for second time that night, making himself comfortable before leaning back down and sucking Grimmjow all the way back in. Of course, not without taking a moment to study the rare, pleading look on the other man's face. Grimmjow's hips bucked wildly while he bit off a surprised moan, Ichigo smiling inwardly as his free hand started a quick pace on his own leaking erection.

To Ichigo's complete surprise, one of Grimmjow's hands retreated from its grip on his hair. Curious, he watched Grimmjow slide a hand up his body, lifting his shirt to reveal his flexing stomach and chest, and providing all the more motivation for Ichigo as he kept going. Ichigo watched closely as Grimmjow's hand dragged across his sweat dampened skin, brushing straight up his torso then landing on one of his nipples. At this point Ichigo was sure he was going crazy or dreaming because Grimmjow started twisting the hardened bud, moaning aloud and lifting his butt right up off the ground, forcing himself into Ichigo's mouth. The whole scene had Ichigo wondering if the blunet did that sort of thing often, on his own when he pleased himself. Just the idea had him throbbing with need and fighting the urge to stop and ask more about what the other man enjoyed.

Grimmjow's eyes were screwed shut, his head so far back, Ichigo couldn't see past his chin, but _oh god_, the sounds he was making. Ichigo could faintly hear the wet noises of his own cock in his pumping hand and sucked hard, hinting with his own deep breaths and moans for Grimmjow to let himself go.

Ichigo didn't have to wait long. Just moments later Grimmjow's body trembled, his hips jerking harshly as his one hand pulled at Ichigo's hair. The blunet's other hand tugged at his shirt to pull it up further, making him look as if he were too hot to stay in his own gorgeous body.

With watery eyes, Ichigo increased his pace and did his best to keep from being overwhelmed by Grimmjow's anxiously moving hips and not so gentle pushes against the back of his head. Strangely enough, all of it turned him on even more. Ichigo could feel the coil in his belly unwinding, his own hips rocking into his hand while he watched Grimmjow buck away from the floor. Finally, the blunet spilled into Ichigo's mouth and sat forward, clutching Ichigo's head like a lifeline with his lips parted and eyes closed.

Ichigo swallowed slow and hungrily, nearly losing it as Grimmjow practically yelled along with his release. Sucking the rest down, Ichigo reluctantly pulled back from his boyfriend's spent length and sat back on his heels. His hand kept moving, too aroused to be ashamed, even when Grimmjow sat up and watched him bring himself closer to completion.

Grimmjow could hardly believe how great Ichigo looked. One of his hands were back to brace himself and his other was fluidly stroking without pause, head dropped forward until his chin hit his chest. Ichigo's mouth parted with urgent moans tumbling passed his lips. Grimmjow's softening length gave a surprising twitch when Ichigo's body tensed and he heard his own name roll off of his tongue at the same time he came over his furiously pumping hand.

After Ichigo's final, breathy moan, Grimmjow yanked into a kiss. Not even a second was allowed for Ichigo to catch his, and he pulled the limp tangerine into his lap, letting his hands roam over his heaving sides.

Ichigo purred into Grimmjow's kiss, loving the feeling of being encircled by his strong arms. His lap was a sticky mess and lips were still swollen from servicing Grimmjow's cock, all of his muscles were jelly, but he could still manage a decent kiss. When Ichigo finally did retreat, gasping for air, his eyes fell shut and his body sagged in Grimmjow's tight embrace.

"I don't know about you, but I need to lie down after all that," Grimmjow said, his soothing voice allowing Ichigo to relax. The tangerine let his head fall onto Grimmjow's shoulder, hoping the blunet would get the signal to carry him because there was no way he was walking anywhere just yet. Luckily enough, Grimmjow got the clue and after some maneuvering, he lifted Ichigo off the floor and carried him into his bedroom.

Right as Grimmjow was about to ease Ichigo onto the bed, he felt a soft exhale against his neck, followed by Ichigo's half mumbled voice whispering against his skin.

"Are we moving too fast?"

Grimmjow swallowed, pausing where he stood at the foot of the bed. He looked down on it with guilty eyes. Ichigo kept on breathing heatedly against the sensitive juncture of neck and shoulder. Blue eyes slid shut and Grimmjow breathed out steadily, drawing Ichigo closer with both hands around his back. Ichigo tightened his legs around his hips and hummed happily.

"No," Grimmjow finally managed to say, then laid Ichigo down, his eyes avoiding the tangerine as he turned and started stripping off his rumpled shirt and jeans. He could feel Ichigo's eyes on his back and couldn't decide if the heavy stare was a good one or not. "I'm just kind of going with it, feels fine to me so far."

Ichigo nodded, realizing belatedly that Grimmjow couldn't see him when turned away. "Me too," As Grimmjow tugged the shirt over his head, Ichigo noticed something. "Hey, you don't have your gun on you today."

Grimmjow turned his head and raised a brow. "Are you saying it would have been smart to bring a gun into your family home?"

"Uh, no."

"Then there you go."

Ichigo realized he had nothing to say to that and got up, scowling at the mess on his pants. "The bathroom is just out here, right?"

"Yeah, across the hall," Grimmjow pointed out the door. He watched Ichigo leave and dropped down on the end of the bed, breathing a deep sigh. Grimmjow was by no means inexperienced, and while he tended to be picky with his partners, there was little he had yet to try that was within the range of what he considered normal sex. That was all in the realm of straight sex, though, and Grimmjow was starting to hate how nervous he got when imagining things like what had just happened in the middle of his living room floor. Not to mention, Ichigo was the first person he'd allowed to come near his bed since he'd been with his ex-wife.

Dragging himself off of the bed and changing his boxers, Grimmjow shuffled back out of the room to turn off the stereo, T.V. and PS3. He threw away the empty beer bottles before hitting the lights and retreating to his bedroom to mull over his increasingly foggy thoughts. He had hardly had enough alcohol to even be buzzed, but he still felt slow.

There was just something about Ichigo that twisted his feelings and thoughts and screwed them all up. He knew it was dumb and not completely due to his feelings for the tangerine, but Grimmjow just had this notion that this was so much more important than any other relationship he'd been a part of. It wasn't just sexual, and it wasn't just emotional. It definitely wasn't about the job. There was this whole other part of his experience with Ichigo that made Grimmjow just feel, for lack of a better word_, right_. In a dizzying sort of way. The kind of thing he might have called stupid if he hadn't had the so called _pleasure_ of falling in love once in his life.

Ichigo returned with a bag of clothes over his shoulder, sporting only a long pair of pajama pants that covered his toes, and he wore a cute little smile that made Grimmjow want to kiss the stupid right out of the kid. Ichigo must have known what he was thinking because he came right up to where Grimmjow sat on the end of the bed. The tangerine parted his legs with a hand on either knee and stepped between them as he planted a kiss on Grimmjow's lips.

"I'm glad you asked me over," Ichigo said lowly, lips tickling against Grimmjow's mouth. "Everything just feels..." he sighed and let his smile finish for him.

Grimmjow offered a smile too, unsure what to say when he realized Ichigo was thinking and feeling the same way that he was. The fleeting fear from minutes ago rooted itself in his chest and spread upward toward his throat. For once, he wasn't following an intricate plan or keeping to a schedule, and the scariest part was that it didn't bother him. Apparently, Ichigo was just the sort of chaos he needed.

Ichigo's eyes fluttered shut and Grimmjow lay back on the bed, pulling the tangerine with him and grunting as he fell on his chest.

"So how does it feel?" Ichigo asked, shifting to lie more comfortably on top of Grimmjow. He propped himself up with an elbow pressed on either side of Grimmjow's torso and smiled goofily as the blunet seemed to try and figure out what he was talking about.

"Getting your first blow job from a guy, I mean," Ichigo said, seeing recognition and then annoyance break out on Grimmjow's face. "Actually, don't answer that," Ichigo dipped forward, kissing Grimmjow softly and moaning at the combination of his boyfriends taste and the memory of how he sounded in the other room. He couldn't believe it, but he was already getting hard again and Grimmjow's similar reaction wasn't exactly slowing the process.

"It was fucking terrible. Let's never do that again," Grimmjow joked, letting his hand slide up Ichigo's back and loving the way Ichigo shuddered. He had no idea what kind of effect his words had on Ichigo, even when they were sarcastic, but he could feel the pressure on his hip and started to grin. "Did you really like sucking me off so much that you're getting hard again just talking about it?"

Ichigo bit his lip and nodded, then pressed himself against Grimmjow through the thin fabric of his pajama pants. With only boxers on, Grimmjow felt every bit of Ichigo's growing erection on his body and groaned as he pushed right back. The two of them fell into a slow, thrusting rhythm, lips coming together and eyes closing once more. The bed made a slight creak as Ichigo shifted, using the weight on his knees to grind himself forward.

Grimmjow's heart thumped wildly in his chest, his stomach doing flips. He tried his best not to think about the fact that his dick was inches away from Ichigo's again, and focused on how good it felt, how his body screamed for more. One of his hands grabbed the back of Ichigo's head as other fell to the tangerines waist, pulling him close as he lifted his hips. With another turn of Ichigo's hips, their erections pressed close together and both of them groaned, Grimmjow biting down on Ichigo's lip to cut off the needy sound. He felt overheated, like he had a fever, but wouldn't have stopped for the world. Sweat broke out on his temple and Ichigo kissed it away, moving in a quick trail down his cheek, following his jawline toward his neck.

Ichigo pulled back, supporting himself with a hand on either side of Grimmjow's head, and spread his legs, straddling Grimmjow so he could better see Grimmjow's face as he pressed himself against the well sized bulge barely contained in Grimmjow's boxers. Then he sat forward further, letting his tongue come out to wet his lips as he caught Grimmjow's drifting gaze. "Are you sure this isn't too much?"

Grimmjow shook his head, lifting himself willingly into the friction of Ichigo's firm bottom and equally stiff length. "If anything, it's not enough," he mumbled, closing his eyes to his own words and then moaning when one of Ichigo's hands found its way to his left nipple. Grimmjow sucked in a breath, fingers clamping down on Ichigo's hips so hard; he realized distantly that there would definitely be bruises. But Grimmjow didn't care, and it didn't seem like Ichigo did either. Ichigo just kept moving and bent forward, kissing down over his collar bone before latching on to the nipple he'd been teasing, sucking it between his teeth giving a gentle bite.

Grimmjow made a sharp sound that turned into a growl as Ichigo pulled back and then licked the teased nipple, slowly and mockingly as he could. Grimmjow's eyes rolled right back into his head and he pulled down hard on Ichigo's hips. Ichigo didn't even waver, following the bucking movements of his body, smiling as he let his nose slide gently up Grimmjow's neck until his lips grazed the shell of his ear.

Grimmjow wasn't sure why, but that little touch had him mumbling out Ichigo's name and both of his hands rose to press against the upper part of Ichigo's back with the fingertips splaying across Ichigo's shoulder blades. Ichigo, only encouraged by Grimmjow's roaming hands, kept rocking forward and back on Grimmjow's lap and nipped at his ear, muttering a couple of filthy lines to see how the other reacted.

With each word, Grimmjow could feel the sweat breaking out across body, the insistent movements of Ichigo's talented hips driving each and every sensible thought from his head. His breathing picked up, lifting his chest quickly into each deep inhale and his head started to feel fuzzy, his eyes growing unfocused. Nothing in all of Grimmjow's experience had been so disorienting and amazing at once.

Grimmjow let his hands fall down Ichigo's back, moving slowly as his middle fingers traced his spine and dipped into the slight inward curve along Ichigo's lower back. When he reached Ichigo's tail bone, Grimmjow flattened his hands against the curve of Ichigo's ass and grinned when the tangerine let slip a tiny noise of excitement.

Ichigo turned to face Grimmjow directly and wet his lips to place a kiss on his chin, then moved upward and kissed again. Ichigo repeated the motion until his lips were pressed against Grimmjow's lower one, sucking lightly as he felt his thighs starting to shake. Grimmjow just kept bucking beneath him and Ichigo released his lip, opening his mouth searching for Grimmjow's tongue. Each of Grimmjow's kisses was fervent and clearly expressive of his intent. The overpowering need was mutual between them, and Ichigo realized that if they didn't start removing some clothes, things were seriously going to chafe.

"Where…?" Grimmjow looked up at Ichigo, masking a lost expression with a scowl as the other pulled from the kiss.

Ichigo smiled back at him, not saying a word. He quickly crawled off of Grimmjow's lap and stood in front of the bed between his still dangling legs.

Two hands came out and pressed against Grimmjow's defined abs, feeling the way they flexed beneath the soft touch. The blunet watched them wander down until the fingers could curl into the waistband of his underwear, and rather than growl, he just smirked.

Ichigo tugged the boxers down slowly, watching Grimmjow's cock strain against the fabric, the damp tip of it pushing hard against it until the elastic band slipped off and it sprang free. Ichigo barely restrained the impulse to drool and yanked the underwear the rest of the way off Grimmjow's legs.

"You're stalling on purpose," Grimmjow muttered, scooting back on the bed and resting his head on a pillow.

Ichigo still didn't comment, but did remove his pajama pants before climbing back up on the bed and crawling over Grimmjow's stunning naked body. Ichigo may have been silent, but Grimmjow could clearly see the resolve on his face; the slowly widening grin and eyes on fire with what he hoped was the intention to make all of his recent, almost haunting, wet dreams come true.

* * *

><p>"Nnh, Sh-Shiro" Tensa sat back with flushed lips and a blush creeping up his neck to his cheeks. His eyes were half closed, looking down on Shiro's half lifted shirt and the pale, flat stomach revealed from underneath. The albino had called him to spend an hour or two together before Tensa went home from work, but he hadn't expected this to happen.<p>

The moment the brunet saw Shiro with his skin tight tee-shirt and hip hugging jeans, he'd immediately felt the need to kiss him. Minutes later they'd found a way into the passenger seat of his car, Tensa straddling Shiro's lap as they both kissed held each other close. Part of Tensa's mind warned that it was too soon and he should slow down, but he told himself there was no harm in kissing. That was innocent enough.

But when Shiro's deft fingers pressed against his groin, Tensa gasped and tilted his head back. Shiro lifted his free hand to the back of Tensa's head and brought him close, whispering against his lips. "Just tell me when I should stop."

Tensa nodded and took a deep breath. "Maybe just.." He gulped and struggled to level his head. How he wished he could tell the albino do what he wanted, he'd dreamt about it often enough. There was just something that scared him about getting too close, letting too much happen before he was sure Shiro's feelings were sincere. After all of Shinji's rants about strange things happening, he'd become even more cautious with Shiro, even if it was sounding a little too farfetched to truly believe.

Shiro read the look in his eyes and brought his hands back to rest them on Tensa's small hipbones. "I'm okay with just kissing. You don't have to be afraid to say that."

Tensa smiled at him and leaned against his shoulder. Shiro's touch had made him even harder. Now he ached for more, but he knew that slow was the right choice. "Maybe just a little more," he reasoned, scooting closer so that Shiro could feel just how badly he wanted more. Shiro's lips dragged down his neck and he kissed and nipped roughly, letting his hips jerk forward to meet Tensa's eager movements.

Tensa thought he might lose it any minute. It had been so long since he'd been with anybody, and he felt his control slipping away with his clearer thoughts. His smarter self begged and pleaded that he stop, pull away or anything but keep going. He needed an out, something to tear him away from this dream. To Tensa's complete surprise, it came in the form of a call. It was then that he remembered he'd called Shinji not long before Shiro arrived but he'd gotten just a voicemail. Tensa wanted to talk to Shinji about going out with Ichigo the next day.

Shiro groaned when he pulled away, but Tensa put a reassuring hand on his chest and leaned back to grab his phone. When he answered with a rough voice, Shinji commented right away, and Tensa rattled off an excuse.

Shiro tightened the grip on Tensa's hips and bucked under him. The older man reclined the car seat part way and both of his hands moved from Tensa's hips to his ass, squeezing as a hint for Tensa to make the call quick.

"I w-was um…" Tensa bit his lip and spoke over it to keep himself from moaning. "Ichigo wanted to go out to a movie with us tomorrow and I was just wondering if you knew where we were g-going to meet. I know you guys see movies a lot."

"Oh! Probably in the food court at the mall," Shinji said. "Why didn't you just call him about this?"

"K-ay. Um, he's with Grimmjow so I didn't want to interrupt," Tensa dropped his head back and considered moving out of Shiro's lap before he lost all will to speak.

"Ah, right," Shinji chirped. "Sure you're okay? You don't have to come if you're not feeling well."

"No, no. I'm fine," Tensa attempted to glare down at Shiro but was instantly captivated by the lust dazed look in his golden eyes. "I'll see you later, Shinji," He tossed his phone into the driver's seat and sifted his fingers into Shiro's hair, pulling him into a searing kiss. When he withdrew, the both of them were panting, staring in each other's eyes.

"I should go home before it gets late," Tensa said shakily, reluctantly shifting to get out of Shiro's lap.

"Wait," Shiro held on tight so the brunet couldn't pull away. "Just give me another minute with you."

Tensa worried at his lip again and moved in close. "Okay, but not like last time where a minute turned into this."

Shiro nodded. "Of course not."

* * *

><p>"Where the fuck do you think you're going after giving me that look?"<p>

Ichigo had stopped just before kissing Grimmjow's lips and then suddenly moved to lie next to him on the bed. "We need to slow down, I want this to last," he said, turning to face the teal-haired man next to him, and finding a look on Grimmjow's face that screamed impatience.

"Slow down? What the hell?" Grimmjow turned to face Ichigo and grabbed either side of his face. "You have got to be kidding me if you think I'm letting you get away after.." Grimmjow shivered. "Just, after _that_." The damned kid had crawled over him looking like some sort of orange haired sex kitten, and then stopped at the last moment, as if Grimmjow would let him get away with that.

Ichigo licked his lips and lowered his voice. "Just trust me," he assured and turned to face away from Grimmjow. When Grimmjow grumbled behind him, Ichigo reached back and surprised the other man by wrapping a hand around his still very much hardened cock. Ichigo pulled on it carefully, guiding it between his legs as he scooted himself back. "I'm not saying we have to stop, I just want to try something different for a bit."

Grimmjow stared down, wide eyed while his member was pressed between Ichigo's soft thighs, then he groaned as his hips involuntarily jutted forward, sending it sliding between Ichigo's legs and providing such a shockingly decent amount of friction that his voice actually caught in his throat. "Oh- _fuck_."

"Mmm, see?" Ichigo purred. "I told you to trust me."

Grimmjow pressed his face against the back of Ichigo's neck and grabbed his hip, pulling him closer and then letting his hand move down over Ichigo's flat belly. Ichigo squirmed when the back of Grimmjow's hand brushed against his erection. He struggled to keep his thighs firmly pressed together when that same hand turned and wrapped around his length. Grimmjow's hips rocked slowly, surprised that he was actually _fucking_ Ichigo's thighs, and he breathed out harshly on the tangerines neck. His hand gently squeezed Ichigo's shaft, then relaxed and his fingertips traced the rim of his head.

Ichigo's head dropped back, nearly knocking into Grimmjow's face and he let out a moan, legs tightening their grip around the dick thrusting between his legs. "Grim.." Ichigo mumbled, closing his eyes when Grimmjow's thumb smeared across the tip of his dripping cock. "Nnh!"

Ichigo was helpless with Grimmjow's hand on him, already burning for release and he'd been the one to suggest the position in the first place. What had he been thinking? He probably should have been asking if Grimmjow was ready for this sort of thing, but the way Grimmjow avidly pumped his hips to slick between his thighs gave him little room to question his motives. It even gave Ichigo a little bit of hope that this might end with something more than he expected.

"Ichigo," Grimmjow huffed against the back of Ichigo's ear, slowing the movement between his legs. "I need more of you."

Ichigo bit his lip, attempting to steady his breath while he quickly thought out what they could do. The man actually wanted more and wasn't running screaming from the room. How could he possibly say no? Grimmjow's hand had strayed from his cock and spread a winding, damp trail up his chest and over his nipples. It felt good, but damn if Ichigo couldn't think straight like that. Grimmjow's fingertips skipped over his ribs and Ichigo's back arched, dick twitching and aching to be touched again.

"Here," Ichigo said suddenly, lifting his leg and allowing Grimmjow to pull away. Grimmjow watched again, swallowing hard when Ichigo scooted back, closer, and pressed his warm behind firmly against his cock, wiggling until it rested firmly between each cheek. Grimmjow caught on quick, giving an experimental thrust, and he groaned at the slightly different, but still quite enjoyable feeling. Grimmjow reached down to grab Ichigo's ass tightly and then grunted. "Roll on your stomach."

Ichigo did so without pause and angled his hips to a comfortable position. Grimmjow rolled on top of him and started moving without warning, not actually pressing inside, but just between in repeated strokes.

"Ah, fuck yeah," the blunet keened. letting his forehead come to rest on Ichigo's back, hands gripping hard on either one of Ichigo's hips. "Damn, you have a tight little ass."

Ichigo chuckled into the pillow and took a deep breath. "You have no idea," Ichigo was painfully hard, rubbing roughly against the sheets each time Grimmjow rocked his body into him, and he could feel himself craving for Grimmjow to angle his long, sexy cock down a few inches and just fuck him properly.

"Mnh!" Ichigo moaned, each of Grimmjow's increasingly rough thrusts forcing the wind from his lungs and nearly driving him over the edge. Ichigo wasn't sure where all of this was leading but he had a feeling this would be it if they didn't slow down. "Grimmjow, I can't-" he started, hoping to get across his point that he was going to come if Grimmjow didn't stop.

"I know," Grimmjow gasped and rolled off, lying on his back with his legs spread. The look on his face told Ichigo he was close too, so the tangerine crawled unsteadily on all fours toward Grimmjow's waiting erection and opened his mouth.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Grimmjow asked, staring down at the familiar image of Ichigo with his lips parting and eyes darkening.

Ichigo had to honestly wonder if Grimmjow was that stupid as he stared into bewildered eyes. He let his cheek slide along the smooth skin of Grimmjow's length. "I didn't think you were ready, to um, go all the way, so I was going to-"

"Fuck that, let's do it!"

Ichigo's mouth fell open a little further before he caught himself and processed the words. "Huh? Wait, are you sure? This is technically like.. your first."

"Well I'm not some virgin and don't get me wrong, yours was the best blow job I've ever had, but I think I need a little more than that right now, you know?"

Ichigo nodded slowly, forcing the beginnings of panic down as quick as he could. Positioning himself better between Grimmjow's legs, Ichigo looped an arm under one of them and lifted it slightly. Just as he did, he felt Grimmjow stiffen and looked up to see two raised eyebrows and a half formed sneer.

"What the hell are you doing? Thought I said I wanted-"

"I'm preparing you," Ichigo sighed when just Grimmjow stared at him. "You know, so I can fuck you."

Grimmjow's eyes shifted to the side then he brought a hand over his face. "I thought I was going to fuck you?"

Ichigo paused, snickered, and lowered Grimmjow's leg. "Alright, then what's the first thing you'll do, Grimmjow?"

"What?" Grimmjow peered at the other from under his arm. "Is this your idea of dirty talk?"

"No, what I'm asking is, if you're so ready to stick it in my ass, what's the first step?"

Grimmjow's hand had fallen away from his face and he looked at Ichigo like he'd gone nuts. "It's not that difficult. I just put my dick in you, right?" When Ichigo shook his head, stifling a laugh, Grimmjow sighed and dropped his head back, trying to think. It wasn't easy with all of the blood pooling beneath his waist. "You…I.. Fuck, I don't know! You're the gay one here!"

Ichigo decided to skip pointing out that Grimmjow wasn't exactly straight and kept his face carefully blank. "If you want me to bottom for you, I want you to know what you're doing, at least sort of."

"Well how am I supposed to know that without trying first?" Grimmjow was only getting more frustrated, and being laughed at was not good fuel for keeping his dick hard. Ichigo seemed to have notice that and dropped a hand down, wrapping his fingers around Grimmjow's it and tugging on it gently as his head tilted slightly to the side, lips skimming the side as he thought.

"How about this," Ichigo leaned forward, not afraid to admit he might have been using his convenient position to sway Grimmjow into letting him have his way. It wasn't as if he didn't want to bottom, shit, he'd dreamed about it plenty. But for Grimmjow's first time… "I'll show you how all of this works, and then I'll let you do whatever you want with me later on, whenever you want."

Grimmjow grumbled beneath his breath, but agreed begrudgingly and watched the tangerine slide off of the bed. It wasn't as though he was all that scared, but Ichigo could have fucking said something if he was going to be a tease with that sweet little ass the whole night and all of his damned enticing positions.

Ichigo looked around for a moment, eyes darting to dressers and other surfaces before he glanced down at Grimmjow. "Do you, uh… have any lube by chance?"

Grimmjow sat up on the bed, scooting so he could look around, as if he didn't know where everything was. "I have some lotion in that dresser there." he said, pointing at the one next to the bed. "Bottom drawer."

Ichigo nodded and fished it out. Then he came back up to sit between Grimmjow's partially spread legs and look down at his straining cock, the taut skin just a little darker than the rest of him. Ichigo bit his lip and squeezed some of the lotion onto his hand.

"That's going to work, right?" Grimmjow asked, swallowing as Ichigo spread his thighs further and rubbed a slick hand against the right cleft of his ass. "That's cold, damn it!" he hissed.

"Sorry," Ichigo blushed for some reason unknown to himself. "This will work, but actual lube is better since it doesn't just soak in. Next time I can bring some over if we end up doing it here," The redhead frowned and looked up at Grimmjow. "If you're okay with a next time, that is. I still don't know how you feel about all of this."

"I feel like I want to get on with it," Grimmjow griped, leaning back and taking a long, calming breath. "Fuckin' have me grind up against your ass and then try to tell me who's gonna fuck who,' Grimmjow went on, mumbling to himself, looking off to the side.

Ichigo smiled and pressed his hand on Grimmjow's thigh again, trailing it downward before pausing once more. He gave the blunet an apologetic smile and a half shrug. "Actually, this may be better if you're bending over."

Grimmjow sighed impatiently, but moved anyway, knowing there wasn't any reason to rush since they had all night. When Ichigo motioned toward the edge of the bed, Grimmjow moved without complaint and draped himself over it with his neck craned to look back. He couldn't help grinning when he saw Ichigo's mouth nearly watering over the display of what he would gladly admit was a very fine backside. At least he had that to be proud of, one of his few confident thoughts in a position like the one he was in.

Ichigo set the lotion aside and rested his hands on Grimmjow's behind, massaging the firm muscle beneath silky smooth skin and restraining a moan in his throat. God, but Grimmjow had one hell of an ass. Honestly, Ichigo wasn't sure if Grimmjow bending over would help any, but it was certainly appealing to the eye.

Grimmjow straightened his legs, lifting his butt a little further in the air and shifted his hips to keep from crushing his cock against the bed. When the duvet brushed against it, though, he let out a muffled moan and turned his head to the side again to watch Ichigo as spread the lotion over three fingers. The hand then dipped it out of his vision and Grimmjow felt it slowly trail up the inner side of his thigh.

Ichigo's other hand grabbed at Grimmjow's ass and pulled one cheek carefully aside. Grimmjow jerked when Ichigo's wet fingers brushed over his balls and continued upward, drawing shivers each and every inch of the way. He groaned and pushed his face back into the blanket, closing his eyes and wondering how he'd ever gotten into this sort of thing. Grimmjow's chest tightened when he imagined Ichigo thrusting into him from behind and he let out an instinctive growl as Ichigo's fingers reached and circled his hole.

"Just relax," Ichigo said softly, pushing his free hand up over Grimmjow's back to rub it soothingly. He smiled when he saw the muscles gradually ease. Grimmjow breathed harder, eyes shut and face tense. Ichigo couldn't blame him, he'd probably been just as scared his first time, but he wasn't going to rush. He knew Grimmjow was tough, but there was no faking it when you had someone touching you in such an intimate place for the first time. Ichigo let the tip of his finger ease just inside, then slipped it back out, watching Grimmjow's expression as he bit down on the edge of his lip and sucked in a breath.

Ichigo pressed his long finger inside again, this time letting it disappear to the second knuckle before repeating the motion, smirking when Grimmjow made a small, strangled sound. Grimmjow's tight heat was clenching around just one finger already and Ichigo could feel his cock pulsing, so ready to be inside. He stroked Grimmjow's silken inner walls, listening to his ragged pants. Then slowly, he pressed another finger in and Grimmjow started to rock backward into it as if encouraging its entrance.

_Shit, Grimmjow was definitely liking it, and so soon._ Ichigo had to control himself so as not to pump his fingers too eagerly, but he couldn't help but want to reward his boyfriend for those deep, velvety sounds he was emitting with his face pressed against the bed sheets.

Grimmjow couldn't believe it himself, slipping his eyes open to be sure he wasn't dreaming with his body acting on its own, swaying backward into each of the slow, teasing intrusions. Grimmjow coughed out a moan when a third finger pressed against his entrance, and Ichigo drew his hand back before dipping all three of them inside and reaching, spreading the fingers apart.

Grimmjow made a face at the sting from the stretching, but couldn't be bothered to care when Ichigo's fingers stroked somewhere new and had him shouting at the mattress in surprise. If only to add to the humiliation, he thought he heard Ichigo chuckling behind him, but Grimmjow brushed it off, resolving to later kick Ichigo's scrawny ass. There wasn't much time for plans of revenge, though, because Ichigo pressed down again and Grimmjow groaned, rocking back for more without particularly meaning to.

When Nnoitra had said that he liked being fucked, Grimmjow had assumed he was exaggerating, over glorifying the whole thing to make him more comfortable with the idea of letting Ichigo top him. But this… _this! _Grimmjow shivered when Ichigo pressed harder on the small of his back, making him arch a little further. He couldn't have been any more wrong when he pegged 'preparation' as something he wouldn't like.

Ichigo's thoughts mirrored that of Grimmjow's, his eyes going comically wide as his boyfriend writhed on the bed and worked his body back eagerly to impale himself on his hand. Ichigo reached further inside and then splayed his fingers, watching Grimmjow's expression twist with slight discomfort as his beautiful eyes slid shut. They reopened once more when Ichigo leaned down, pressing a kiss on the corner of his mouth and whispering in a soft, tempting voice that he was ready when Grimmjow was.

Grimmjow grunted when he heard the words, and he gave a half nod in his best effort at expressing just how ready he was. Hell, if his grinding hips and telltale moans didn't prove that much then Ichigo had to be brain dead, but Grimmjow knew he was just being considerate.

When Ichigo pulled away his fingers gently slipped out, Grimmjow sighed out a muted moan and looked back to see what the tangerine would do next. The first thing he saw was Ichigo reaching for the lotion and he added more to his hand before tossing the bottle aside and biting his lip, moving the slick hand over his cock. Not for the first time, Grimmjow noticed how thick Ichigo was and took a deep breath when he realized just where all of that was about to go. Grimmjow wanted this, he knew that much, and he could see the need tensing Ichigo's muscles as he focused on what he was about to do.

Ichigo finally looked up to his face and the heat in his eyes sent shivers all over Grimmjow's body. He reached out to touch Grimmjow's ass, still stroking himself idly with his lips tilted in a smile. Grimmjow didn't mean to jerk when the blunt tip of Ichigo's cock bumped against him, but his tensed form did drop as those warm hands moved over his back again, massaging gently as they moved down to caress his ass.

And _fuck_ if Grimmjow hadn't have ever thought that he'd enjoy the smooth glide of a leaking cock pressed between his cheeks. The damn kid was teasing him, and he didn't hold back a growl when he realized it.

"What? Now you know how good it felt when you did the same to me a while ago" Ichigo grinned down at the fuming blunet, then took a step back, swallowing when he realized he might be killed on the spot for his next suggestion.

"I think I want you on your back for this after all."

Surprisingly, Grimmjow didn't waste the effort it would have taken to beat Ichigo into the ground. He merely nodded, not bothering with the snarky comments because he was just too eager and his mind was fried. When he turned to sit on the edge of the bed, Ichigo squeezed between his legs and tangled his fingers in messy, blue locks.

Ichigo licked Grimmjow's warm, dry lips once and then delved into a kiss, moaning when Grimmjow met him half way, peeking out his tongue for a taste. Ichigo then clamped down on his lip, sucking until Grimmjow let out a muffled "Mmf."

"God, I need you Grimmjow," Ichigo panted, lapping at Grimmjow's swollen bottom lip as the man started to smirk. He slowly laid the man back and pulled away to start lifting his legs. When he had Grimmjow's heels braced against the edge of the bed, Ichigo took a hold of his cock and stepped forward. Grimmjow shifted on the bed, arching his back slightly before settling down and holding his breath for the inevitable. Ichigo guided himself to Grimmjow's waiting entrance and his tongue rolled around in his mouth as he repeatedly told himself not to go too fast.

Grimmjow felt Ichigo nudging against him again and grit his teeth as he gradually pressed it in. Without meaning to, Grimmjow let out the breath he'd been holding and cursed as Ichigo carefully eased himself forward through the initial resistance and started steadily sinking inside. Ichigo struggled to keep his eyes open, watching the muscles in Grimmjow's body ripple as the sensation and burn coursed through him, all of the shock and the pain clear on his pinched face.

"Gnnn, fuck!" Grimmjow groaned, lifting a leg higher, toes curling and he wondered why in the hell he'd ever thought this would feel good. But as weird as it felt, as bad as his mind screamed for it to stop, his hips were still twitching downward while Ichigo went deeper and finally settled fully inside. Grimmjow's lips tightened, eyes shut tightly and body strung tighter than ever before with his back arched away from the duvet.

As much as Ichigo felt bad for the pain Grimmjow was in, he couldn't help the way he swelled at the sight of his shuddering body. Slowly, Grimmjow's harsh growls melted into deep breaths and Ichigo pulled out only to surge back in and angle himself into Grimmjow's prostate. He'd meant for the movement to help the other, but the blunet's dark heat tugged over his cock so tightly his eyes crossed. "Son of a- _Shit, _Grimmjow!"

Grimmjow's hands latched onto Ichigo's biceps and his fingers dug into the skin, veins standing out in his own arms as he squeezed and he ground out a long, deep sound that had Ichigo propelling himself forward to hear more. Ichigo entered him slowly one last time before picking up the pace. He couldn't wait any longer.

Taking a hold of Grimmjow's flagging erection, Ichigo brought it back to life with a few strokes and followed each one with a steady rock of his hips, driving into Grimmjow deep and listening for each of his approving grunts. Deep blue eyes were narrowed, but still managing to gaze up at him, and Ichigo removed the hand from Grimmjow's length, closing it over his hip and pulling down on his cock.

Ichigo sucked in a shallow breath, his own moans breezing over Grimmjow's shoulder. He lifted one of the blunet's legs a little more and rammed inside him harder at the sound Grimmjow's hungry demand for more. When he started to adjust, Grimmjow had anchored himself with a hand on the bed and began rolling his hips to meet each of Ichigo's thrusts, his teeth coming down on his lip while his cheeks flushed and low sounds forced themselves from his lips.

Grimmjow realized he had no control anymore, but he was still working to give back what he was given. He didn't knew what to expect from this sort of thing. Even after he suggested that Ichigo come over, Grimmjow realized he'd never imagined the tangerine would have him on his back on his own bed. What's more, he was loving it. Ichigo's repeated grunts and filthy comments were right in Grimmjow's ear and he moaned in response, feeling Ichigo's sweaty tummy brushing against his dick. Grimmjow felt like his entire body was on fire, mind shattering pleasure and dull pain surging through him, and he knew right away that this was something he could get used to. A feeling he intended to return to Ichigo in full.

"Mnn" Ichigo closed his eyes, searching blindly for Grimmjow's lips, where he kissed messily as the both of them kept the swift pace.

Grimmjow's hands had migrated to Ichigo's back, clinging as Ichigo's mouth spread kisses across his lips and chin. "Fuck, Ichigo," he panted, his eyes rolling back when he felt the tension in his pelvis ready to snap. His head tilted back when Ichigo reached for his cock again, his hips bucking faster with increasing force.

Ichigo nodded his head forward, clenching his jaw as he used all of his remaining strength for this final burst. He lifted Grimmjow's leg higher, nearly hiking it over his shoulder and his hand worked over Grimmjow's length, fixing the blunet with a burning stare that was returned with a determined grin.

Grimmjow's fingers scored down Ichigo's back and grabbed at his ass, jerking him forward roughly. Then Grimmjow threw back his head, tightening around Ichigo's cock as streams of his cum sprang from his own, painting his chest and abs.

Ichigo kept rocketing forward just a couple more times, on the final thrust spending himself in the warmth of Grimmjow's shuddering body, breathing a harsh moan against his ear.

When Ichigo reopened his eyes a couple of minutes later, he took in the sight of Grimmjow's collapsed form, arms dropped to the bed and head turned to the side carelessly. Grimmjow's hair stuck up in odd places, some of it hanging in his eyes.

When those electric blue eyes peeked open and stared back at him, Ichigo felt something in his chest clench. He rewarded the blunet with a soft, calming kiss that made them both sigh as he touched Grimmjow's face. Then, they both cringed as Ichigo drew himself out, offering a lopsided smile in apology. Grimmjow grunted in turn, and wrapped a hand around Ichigo's neck before he could move away.

Ichigo looked at him curiously, wondering where the sudden serious look on his face had come from.

"So where…do I sign up to be gay?" Grimmjow asked, face spreading wide in a cheesy smile that was one hundred percent successful at putting a similar look on Ichigo's face.

Ichigo shook his head, rolling his eyes. "You idiot."

Grimmjow chuckled and hugged Ichigo close, squeezing the air straight out of him. When he let go, his lip started to curl as Ichigo pulled away.

"Let me guess, it's leaking down your leg?"

Grimmjow nodded with a sneer and started to sit himself up. "Fuck, is it always like this afterwards?"

"Pretty much," Ichigo said, falling onto the mattress and spreading his legs. He took a deep, long breath. "Worth it though, don't you agree?"

Grimmjow grumbled and lay back down on the bed. "I'll let you know when my ass quits hurting."

Ichigo chuckled again, turning to face his disgruntled man. "I wouldn't expect that to be any time soon if you keep making noises like the ones you were just now."

Grimmjow just barely caught himself before allowing a blush to cross his cheeks, and instead set his face with a scowl. "Not much different from the squeals you were making. I thought the one _getting_ fucked was supposed sound like a bitch."

Ichigo's brows shot up then he covered his mouth as he broke out into laughter. "Did you just call yourself my bitch? Because that's just priceless!"

"No, you little fuck!" Grimmjow rolled over on his side, placing a hand firmly on Ichigo's chest. "Want me to show you what it means to be someone's bitch?"

"Yeah, show me how that goes!" Ichigo shook his head, sure he'd be glared to death in a moment. "Oh, it's not that hard. It starts with you putting your dick in my ass, am I right? That's the first step?"

"Hey, shut the fuck up!" Grimmjow yelled, pressing on Ichigo's chest harder as he continued to laugh. "Just because I let you do all that doesn't mean I'll deal with your shit. I can still kick your ass."

"Alright, alright," Ichigo took deep breaths to settle himself down and let his hand rest on Grimmjow's, squeezing it slightly. "No need to go all testosterone mode on me, I know you're the man."

Grimmjow nodded proudly and started to retract his hand, but Ichigo had laced his own with it. Grimmjow frowned a little, looking up to see that Ichigo's eyes were shut and his breathing was evening out.

"Oi, you aren't sleeping are you?"

Ichigo shook his head lazily side to side and cracked open one eye. "Better go clean up or you'll be regretting it in the morning."

Grimmjow scowled, and this time was able to successfully pull his hand away. He stumbled off toward the bathroom, cursing the literal pain in his ass.

Just before he stepped out of the room, Grimmjow cast a look back at Ichigo and sighed, shuffling back over to the bed and grabbing Ichigo's cheeks. Grimmjow laid a big, wet kiss on his lips and Ichigo gaped, face flushed when Grimmjow pulled back and ambled out of the room.

Ichigo listened with closed eyes to the sounds of water from the bathroom across the hall and easily started to drift off. Music brought him back awake and he sat up in the bed, looking around for its source. Once he realized it wasn't in the room, Ichigo got up to find it, pausing to grab his pajama pants and wipe himself off. Passing the hallway where he could hear that Grimmjow was taking a shower, Ichigo pushed a hand through his hair and found Grimmjow's ringing phone lying on the counter where he'd ditched all the things from his pockets earlier.

Ichigo picked it up and stared at the display. "Who's Sosuke'?" He wondered aloud, and let the phone keep ringing. He wouldn't even know what to say if he answered, but the person just kept calling and calling while Ichigo laid back down in bed and stared at the glowing display. Eventually, the music stopped and a minute later there was a beep. Curious, Ichigo brought the phone closer and looked at the screen. There was a new text and half of it was showing in the preview for a few seconds. Before it faded away, Ichigo managed to read 'Come to the office as soon-' Just as he was about to go knock on the bathroom door, Grimmjow walked into the room and gave him a funny look.

"Already snooping?"

"No," Ichigo blushed and held out the phone. "I think someone wants to talk to you."

Grimmjow scowled and tossed the towel he'd been scrubbing his head with over a shoulder before grabbing the phone. Ichigo watched him scan the text message for a moment, swallowing and hoping he'd taken the situation incorrectly. When Grimmjow's face fell, Ichigo knew he was right.

Grimmjow reread the text and then threw the phone down on the bed. "Fuckin' nazi."

An orange brow rose in question and Grimmjow waved it off. "I have to go into the office," he mumbled and turned toward the closet to find some slacks and a nice shirt.

"Grimmjow, it's almost midnight."

"I see that."

Ichigo looked down at his lap and turned the bracelet around on his wrist. "Why would you need to go into the office at a car dealership at midnight?"

"Don't have time for your questions, kid," Grimmjow pulled his pants up and found a belt to circle through the loops. His hair was still wet and dripping down the back of his neck, so he shook his head like a dog then grabbed a shirt to start buttoning it up. Halfway, a hand stopped his progress and he looked up to find the tangerine regarding at him with concern.

"You can tell me,' Ichigo said. "Maybe I can help."

Grimmjow sighed and grabbed Ichigo's hand, pulling him close, one arm wrapping around his waist. "You can't help, but I appreciate the offer."

"Grimmjow.." Ichigo closed his eyes, breathing in Grimmjow's clean scent and loving the feel of his shower warmed skin on his own. Something about that call felt wrong, it scared him, and Grimmjow's secrecy was only making it worse. Was it bad that Grimmjow opened up faster sexually than he did emotionally? Was there something going on that Ichigo should be worried about? Maybe Shinji was right about all of it.

"Don't say my name like that," Grimmjow pulled Ichigo back to stare in his eyes. "I'll be back in a couple of hours. You stay here and get some sleep."

Ichigo hesitated, but the look in Grimmjow's eyes told him he had no choice. He wasn't going to get any more answers out of him like this. He nodded slightly and before Grimmjow could pull away, threaded a hand into damp, blue locks to pull the other man close. Grimmjow breathed over his lips and Ichigo took it all in, drawing closer slowly until their lips met. Ichigo still felt the stirring feeling in his stomach when they kissed, but his chest felt tight, like he couldn't breathe.

Grimmjow pulled back shortly and finished buttoning his shirt. Then he grabbed a tie, fumbling with it while walking toward the door. Ichigo came up to help him straighten it out, then his expression fell as Grimmjow looked at him strangely before donning his shoes and leaving the house.

Ichigo stared at the door, listening to the sounds of Grimmjow walking outside and a car starting up. He knew it was dumb to worry so much, but what if it was all just an out for Grimmjow if things went too far? Grimmjow couldn't have really known all of this would happen, could he? Ichigo pressed himself against the door and sank to the ground, nearly jumping from his skin when something furry brushed against his toes.

Tera mewed and rubbed against his calves. Ichigo smiled faintly and scratched behind her ears. "You miss him already, too?" Even with the kitty there, Grimmjow's house felt so empty without him. The barren walls and lack of decoration seemed even more obvious now that he was by himself. Ichigo had to wonder how Grimmjow could stand living in such an impersonal looking home. Deciding he wouldn't be able to sleep with everything on his mind, Ichigo pulled himself up, lifting Tera into an arm when she protested his movement, and Ichigo found his own phone to call Shinji up.

"Shin's midnight service! How may I help you?" Shinji's voice chimed when the ringing came to a stop.

Ichigo made a face at his phone and pulled it back to be sure he dialed the right number. "Shinji?"

"Oh, Ichigo. What's going on? Wait, how did your day with Grimmjow go?"

Ichigo set Tera down on the bed and watched her move over to Grimmjow's pillow to lay on it. He smiled and sat down next to her, petting her as she settled down and purred. Ichigo wasn't sure where to start, so he just blurted out whatever came to his mind first. "I'm at his place."

"You are? I take it things went well with your family then?"

"My dad came to the door in pajamas, then when we told him to change, he put on a suit.." Ichigo smiled, his father really was an idiot.

Shinji chuckled. "So nothing out of the ordinary, then?"

"Yeah. They all got along with him pretty well, but we did have a little fight just before we left."

"What about?" Shinji asked.

"Uh, he had less cards than me when Karin won our game of group solitaire.."

"You guys fought about _that_?"

"He only had one less card!" Ichigo defended. "I …don't know why, but that made me angry. He hadn't ever played it before, Shin."

"It's okay, we all know you're a sore loser."

Shinji's humored tone made Ichigo clench his jaw. "If that's so then why'd I blow him after he won the- uhm.." _Woops_.

"BLOW HIM?" Shinji squealed in the phone and Ichigo watched Tera's ears flick backward at the sound.

"I didn't necessarily mean to say it like that," Ichigo sighed.

"Did you go all slutty on him once you saw his cock? God, Grimmjow is _so_ lucky."

"Shinji! I am _not_ slutty."

Shinji giggled on the other end, making Ichigo frown. "You are when a hot guy puts his dick in your face."

"You make it sound so bad," Ichigo complained with heat quickly rushing to his face. "But yeah, I kind of.. had to jerk myself off afterward."

"Wow, what did he say?"

"Well we moved to the bed after that and-" Shinji's loud voice cut Ichigo off, though he had kind of expected that much.

"Oh my freaking god, was he any good?"

"Well.." Ichigo blushed and felt the temperature of the room had gone up drastically. At least talking about all of this was cheering him up. Shinji was always so excited for him when he got laid, it was silly really. "I topped him so…"

"You did? Ichigo, how in the hell did you manage that?"

"I suggested it since he didn't know what he was doing and, well, he agreed. I could tell he was a little weird about it, but once I started.." Ichigo lay back on the bed and started to smile. "He sounded _so_ good, and the way he moved... he felt anything but new at it."

"Shit, Ichi. You're getting me hard."

"Ahh, shut up!" Ichigo bit his lip and turned on his side. "Shin…afterwards he got a call and he left."

"Wait, he left too? Nnoitra just walked out on me twenty minutes ago saying he had work early or something."

"Did he?"

"Yeah, right after he got this weird phone call. He was acting all bitchy and wouldn't answer my questions. I let him go and told him not to come back until he got the stick out of his ass."

"Hm, do you think they're meeting up?"

"Do you think they're actually _together_?"

"That's not what I was trying to say, Shin. We know they both got a call, so there's a third party. I saw a name on the screen when Grimmjow got his, and it said Sosuke."

Shinji gasped. "Are you serious? It was Sosuke?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I talked to Tensa earlier and he said that Shiro mentioned his boss. He said the guy's name was Sosuke. I wonder if those two were still together when Grimmjow and Nnoi got their phone calls. Oh, we should follow them and see where they went!"

Ichigo shook his head slightly. "He's already long gone. Anyway, what if they saw us? How would we even explain that?"

"We'd tell them to quit being so damn secretive if they didn't want us following them around!" Shinji all but shouted.

"Okay, but I think it's already too late tonight," As if in emphasis, Ichigo yawned. "Let's just call off the hounds until at least tomorrow because I need some sleep."

"Yeah, alright. But this is the last time. If anything else weird happens, I'm going to figure it out whether you help me or not."

"Sure. I'll see you tomorrow."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

So…pretty much the entire chapter is sex. Forgive me if titling it **Lust** wasn't hint enough at the content of the chapter. Sorry if I've missed anything in my editing, I think that if I stare at this chapter any longer I'm quite likely to burn the entire thing or have my eyes melt out of my head.

It probably seems like they're moving super-fast, and yeah, they kind of are. I just don't want to focus _too_ much on the whole Grimmjow sexuality issue. Things are only going to speed up from here, plot wise, so there's that.

I should probably note here that I don't hate Rukia. I realize that I have made her a complete bitch in all of her scenes, but as always, I've got a purpose. And hey, I'd be mad too if Renji ruined my favorite stuffed animal! Not that I have…one…of those.

So here we are at the halfway point. I should take this opportunity to thank those of you that have read this far and showed your support, be it by favorite, alert or review. I really do appreciate every one of you, and am happy to know that I am not the only one enjoying this ride :D


	8. Kindness

**Chapter Eight: Kindness.**

**OR**

**Girls Night Out.**

* * *

><p>Grimmjow settled into his car and closed his eyes, feeling like he made a mistake by walking out on Ichigo. The kid was probably upset at him or curious about what he could have been trying to hide. Grimmjow had learned the hard way that avoiding questions or being dishonest was not the right way to make things work in a relationship, but it couldn't exactly be helped. He had an obligation to his job and that thought bothered him as he buckled his seat and gripped the wheel. It was the first time he'd ever thought about his job as something he <em>had<em> to do. If you didn't include the times he had to endure Ulquiorra and Sosuke's blathering.

Grimmjow started the car and turned the music up, tuning out his thoughts and attempting to stay awake on his drive to Sosuke's office. The building was tucked away from most of the major roads. Even the dulled tan color of the paint on the outer walls was ordinary. If someone wandered in, all they would see is an empty front room that looked to belong to an old, out of business hotel.

Within were many hidden cameras, surveying for any unwanted visitors. Behind the doors that led out of the front room were armed guards, dressed casually to appear less threatening, but trained to apprehend any who saw through the ruse. It wasn't exactly the most secure of establishments or even that well used, but Sosuke probably intended for it to feel that way. All of his actions had reason, and it didn't take long being in league with the man to find that out.

Pushing his way through the front entrance and coughing from the stale air he breathed in, Grimmjow walked right on through the room to the double doors that sat on the other side. He passed a reception desk without anybody behind it, the counter caked with dust at least an inch thick. Pressing his hands against two doors, he shoved them inward, stepping in without a fear of being stopped. The two guards on the other side regarded Grimmjow with uninterested glances and went back to staring dutifully at the walls in what Grimmjow guessed was complete and total boredom.

As he travelled down the hall, passing a couple of rooms, Grimmjow knew without looking that they were empty. At the end of the hallway, habit guided him around the corner to the right. At the first room on his left Grimmjow knocked on the door, breathing out a great sigh and closing his eyes. All he wanted was to get the meeting over with and go home, to be with the tangerine whom he hoped would still be there, lying in his bed. It was strange to want something like that, but Grimmjow didn't ponder on it much.

The door swung open and Grimmjow blinked up at his tall friend, one violet eye peeking out from behind black hair. Inside, behind Nnoitra, stood a displeased looking Ulquiorra, arms limp at his sides and back straight. As Nnoitra stepped beyond Grimmjow to exit the room, the two connected gazes, both silently agonizing over their obligation to the man inside the office. Then the taller male went back down the hall, leaving Grimmjow to stand uncomfortably under Ulquiorra's gaze. Narrowed, emerald eyes scanned over his form before the shorter man stepped back, signaling Grimmjow to enter the room.

"He does not have his weapon," Ulquiorra said, as if one look could tell him as much. He took another step back, pressing against the wall and allowing Grimmjow to walk forward and take a seat on the white, two-seater couch that had been placed in front of Sosuke's desk.

"It's in my car," Grimmjow said, scowling over his shoulder at the raven haired man. "Didn't think I'd have to defend myself in here."

Sosuke leaned back in his chair, almond eyes flicking over Grimmjow's form. He didn't look surprised or angry, or really anything at all. His expression couldn't even be described as blank, because that would have at least required a fuck for him _not_ to give. Grimmjow found himself secretly jealous of that kind of control.

"I take it you understand why you're here," the brunet behind the desk drawled.

Grimmjow shrugged and kicked his big feet up to rest on the edge of Sosuke's desk, no doubt littering dust and other such filth all over the immaculate work space. "Cause you missed me?"

Sosuke shook his head and chuckled lightly, hair swishing about his face in a gentle way. "You always did have a strange sense of humor."

"It's part of my charm," Grimmjow agreed, stretching back and resting his arms behind his head. "So what's up?"

The first hint of seriousness formed in Sosuke's eyes. Brown and piercing, they focused on a sheet of paper he laid a hand over on the desk, scanning it from behind dark framed glasses. "I have recorded here that you have missed not one or even two meetings, but three in the last month. As you may have guessed by my calling you here this late, I decided that rather than continuing to waste my time, I will waste yours instead."

Grimmjow snorted and shifted his legs. "I had nothing to report, so I didn't show up," It wasn't something he normally did, but slack should have been expected when he had no way to be sure what he was looking for in the first place.

"Yes," Sosuke nodded in the slightest, "But you know that you are required to attend every meeting and performance review no matter how inconvenient or pointless it may seem. Because you have been absent, you have wasted not only my time, but that of your team mates."

"They'll get over it."

To his credit, Sosuke resisted the urge to sigh, though it was obvious that he wanted to. His lips pressed into a thin white line, as if it might help to keep him from verbally lashing the delinquent in front of him. "It would be wise of you to take me seriously, Grimmjow. Or is it that you have forgotten where you came from and what your original rank was?"

"How could I fucking forget with a gigantic number six tattooed on my back?" Grimmjow snapped, letting his feet slide off the desk as he sat up straight, meeting Sosuke's threatening gaze.

"Ah, yes. That is true," Sosuke dismissed the memory without even a blink. "However, due to your slip in duties recently, I felt that a change in your assignment was in order. Just to be sure that you are indeed taking it seriously."

Grimmjow tried to hide the way that he swallowed, but Sosuke caught even the miniscule movement of his throat with his sharp eyes. "What change?" It was hard to keep the growl out of his voice.

"Unlike your other assignments, I'll be giving you a time frame in which you must report back to me with results. A deadline, if you will. If you fail to get the information in the time I choose, your objective will change. If I am forced to change it, you will follow my instruction at that time and finish the assignment to save your position in Seven, otherwise I will take care of it myself," Sosuke's head dropped forward as he looked over the ridge of his glasses into glaring blue eyes. "and Grimmjow, when I do things, I do not always play by the guidelines you set for yourself. Is that clear?"

Grimmjow sneered and cast his eyes to the floor. Having a deadline was fucking _bullshit_, but he should have known it would happen. He'd been slacking off and hadn't found out a god damned thing about this kid or whatever he was involved with. It still bothered him to know that Ichigo had secrets but he didn't exactly expect the tangerine to go gushing all that he knew and was involved with in such a short time. Especially when he wasn't bothering to ask the right questions, or any questions at all.

But now Grimmjow was stuck. Ichigo trusted him, and if he started acting strange, or stranger than he already was, the kid was going to catch on or start pulling back. Starting a relationship may have gotten Grimmjow the trust he needed, but it came with the weight of maintaining it, not breaking it for any cause. He didn't want to hurt Ichigo but as days passed and they grew closer, the fact that he was going to have to betray the kid at some point became more and more of a problem to him. All Grimmjow knew was that after this was all through, he was never allowing his own feelings to get in the way of a job. It was easier without them, much easier.

"Do you understand what I've said, Grimmjow? You have _one week_ to get the information."

Grimmjow stood and absently nodded to Sosuke. The amount of time didn't matter so much as the fact that he actually had a limit. He couldn't do things how he wanted anymore because he needed results. "Yeah, I get it," Grimmjow bit off the urge to add a string of nasty names his mind readily produced for the man in front of him. "Can I go home now?"

"So long as you remember that the information you are supposed to get is what is important and nothing else."

"Sure, whatever," Grimmjow said, and walked briskly out of the room. He grumbled the entire way down the hall and when he got outside, he took the cigarette pack from his pocket and lit one up just next to his car. If he really had one more week on the job, then that meant one more week of Ichigo. Seven more days to figure out what the tangerine was hiding and then watch as his sad excuse for a relationship blew up before his eyes.

"Shit," Grimmjow mumbled, leaning back against his car door and taking a long drag. Sure, he hated to smoke but he hated to be stressed even more. After another minute of cursing and inhaling, he tossed the useless butt to the ground and got in his car with a scowl on his face. Everything smelled like smoke and Grimmjow was even more pissed than before. Fantastic.

When the blunet made it back home, he sighed in relief at the sight of Ichigo's truck still in the driveway, and turned down his music before pulling into the drive way. It was almost two in the morning now, Ichigo was probably asleep.

Grimmjow dropped his keys and smokes on the coffee table and shuffled toward the bedroom, stripping off his tie and shirt and then standing in the doorway to his room, staring at the little fluff of orange peeking out of the duvet. Smiling, he dropped the clothing on the floor, removing his socks and slacks and started to climb onto the mattress. It had been years since he had someone to come home to.

Ichigo stirred when Grimmjow joined him, and peeked open an eye, letting it roam around before setting on the blunet.

"Hey," Grimmjow said, unable to help the way he grinned at Ichigo's sleepy state, eyes heavy and blinking.

"You smell like smoke," Ichigo grunted, scooting over to drape an arm over Grimmjow's chest and rest his head on his shoulder. His voice was rough from sleep and Grimmjow was glad to know he had rested at least some while he was gone.

"Cause I smoked."

Ichigo sniffed and closed his eyes. "I didn't know you smoked," Had he been thinking clearly, he would have remembered that Grimmjow was smoking on the first night they met.

Grimmjow wrapped an arm around Ichigo's bare back and rubbed it gently. "I don't."

"But you-"

"Shh," The arm pulled Ichigo closer and squeezed his shoulder lightly. "Time to sleep."

"Mm," Ichigo's nose rubbed softly against Grimmjow's chest, making the older male shiver.

Grimmjow smirked and patted the tangerines head. "Night Ichigo."

"G'night"

* * *

><p>"Did you want me to follow him?" Ulquiorra stood at Sosuke's side, peering at the copied delivery receipts spread on the desk in front of him.<p>

The brunet thought for a moment, shifting the papers back into the file they came from. "No, it's clear enough that he's invested in this, but there's still the possibility that he'll turn around," Looking quite frustrated by the closed file, Sosuke rubbed his forehead and closed his eyes. "Call Kaname's team in, I'd like to consult with them tomorrow morning."

Ulquiorra nodded and backed away from the desk, pacing toward the door and pausing with a hand on the knob. "Sosuke?"

A pause.

Ulquiorra shifted on his feet, unsure if he should bother to say anything. Sosuke would find out anyway, but it was his job to be the informant, regardless. "Sir,_ he_ is waiting for you outside, I spotted him on my way in."

Sosuke looked up from his desk, revealing the slightest glimmer in his eyes. "Is he?" With a nod from the other man, Sosuke took a deep breath. "Very well, you may go."

* * *

><p>When Grimmjow woke, it was because of an abrupt movement nearby and he sat up, glancing around the room to see what the commotion was about. His brain wasn't working all that well yet, so it took him some time to realize that the only thing it<em> could<em> have been was Ichigo.

The orange haired boy lay on his back with his knees bent and eyes tightly shut. Ichigo's mouth was scrunched up into a tiny frown and he looked to be in pain, shaking one of his legs now and then and squirming under the sheets.

Thinking Ichigo must have been hot, because the room was scalding without the fan on, Grimmjow reached over and pulled the blanket down to reveal Ichigo's chest to the air. He scooted closer, turning Ichigo toward him to wake him up. Ichigo was mostly limp but turned easily enough, and kept rolling, his face immediately seeking the warmth of Grimmjow's neck as he pressed up against him. Tiny bumps from the cool air had broken out on Ichigo's arms and Grimmjow frowned, pulling the blanket back up to cover the chilled skin. _Guess he wasn't hot after all_. Resigning himself to the half comfortable position for the sake of Ichigo sleeping soundly, Grimmjow reclosed his eyes and sighed, trying not to think about the changes he'd have to make starting today.

It was another few minutes before Ichigo jerked again, his arms shifting here and there until he pressed a hand against Grimmjow's chest and mumbled in his sleep. Grimmjow watched, greatly amused but still a bit worried about what was troubling the kid. He tried to gently shake Ichigo awake, but Ichigo merely melted further into him, draping a leg across his own and practically rolling on top of him.

With that not so unwelcome movement, Grimmjow started to understand the problem and closed his eyes to control himself. The blunet liked to think he had a good handle on keeping his urges at bay, but he was certainly tempted when Ichigo's hips shifted and started to grind against his leg. Grimmjow held in a groan as soft lips brushed his neck and Ichigo's hand curled against his chest.

As good as it felt, Grimmjow was getting too toasty with Ichigo's body heat blanketing him and wasn't sure how much longer he could fight the impulse to take advantage. Grimmjow threw off the blankets and carefully tried to pry the tangerine away.

With a few firm shoves, Ichigo released his hold and flopped onto his back, legs falling open with his erection lifting a slight tent under the duvet. Grimmjow turned on his side and watched Ichigo for another moment, growing curious the longer he stared. How long was this dream going to be? He was kind of looking forward to teasing Ichigo once he woke, but he was starting to get other ideas.

Grimmjow sat for a moment as compulsions pulled on his weak points until, finally, he threw the sheets the rest of the way off of the tangerine and crawled between his legs. Ichigo mumbled again and his fingers twitched slightly as Grimmjow stared down at him.

The first thing Grimmjow noticed with his roaming gaze, other than the obvious, was that Ichigo had two large bruises over his hips from where he'd grabbed him the night before. The blunet smiled proudly, reaching out to gently touch one of the purple marks. Ichigo didn't seem to notice, so Grimmjow trailed his fingertips down further and brushed them along the area between hip and thigh, unable to look away. Grimmjow scowled. It really wasn't fair how good Ichigo could look in his sleep, and it was kind of perverted of him to be staring.

Having a man in his bed was new to Grimmjow, and he couldn't help but be fascinated. It actually pleased him to be able to witness such a careless and honest thing as Ichigo having a visibly sexual dream. Had Grimmjow been any less egotistical, he might have wondered if he were the one in Ichigo's visions, but he had no doubt. Suddenly, the blunet screwed up his face. Somehow, he'd gotten all tangled up in Ichigo's simple life, and he wasn't really sure how to feel about that.

"Damn it, Ichigo," Grimmjow's hand lowered somewhat hesitantly, letting his fingertips brush over the cause of the kids restlessness. Lifting his eyes, Grimmjow watched to see if Ichigo's face changed. If he thought about it rationally, any guy would want to wake up this way, right? With someone he's attracted to feeling him up in his sleep, giving the perfect ending to a lascivious dream. Hell, Grimmjow decided he would be fine with Ichigo doing that with him. Maybe.

Grimmjow swallowed and wrapped a hand around the base of Ichigo's cock. He'd had many strange ideas in his life and had been dared to do loads of stupid things, but of all those, this was the one he thought he'd never do. At his own will, for that matter. But the more Grimmjow stared, the more he realized that he wanted to give it a try, even if it were just once.

Since when had men become so interesting to him? Grimmjow wasn't sure, but he supposed it was just Ichigo. Maybe it would always just be him. None of that really mattered because at that particular moment, with the tangerines erect penis in his face, the only thing Grimmjow wanted to do was taste it. In all honestly, that scared the fuck out of him.

Grimmjow rubbed his hand upward once and his mouth fell open. Still staring, he took a shaky breath in and then pressed his tongue flat against the underside, sliding it up an inch or two before pulling back with a frown.

Ichigo shifted and his legs fell open further before falling still again. If Grimmjow didn't know better, he'd think the other was awake.

Figuring he was still safe, Grimmjow leaned in once more, wanting to confirm just how soft Ichigo's skin felt against his tongue, marveling at the fact that he actually liked the subtle taste. He angled Ichigo's length to the side and tried it a third time, feeling bold and pressing his parted lips against the right side, sliding his tongue along with them, all the way up from his hand to the leaking tip. Pulling back, a low growl rumbled from Grimmjow's throat as he curiously licked at the opening. It was starting to make sense that Ichigo had enjoyed doing this so much the night before.

Ichigo moaned weakly and started blinking open his eyes. He'd just had a surprisingly nice dream and now he felt…strangely good. With blurry vision, Ichigo looked down and spotted the blue hair first, then slowly realized that Grimmjow's head was between his legs. The redhead gasped, finally registering the hot lips and warm fingers moving on his groin.

"Holy _fuck_, Grimmjow," Ichigo bit his lip and turned his head to the side. Seeing Grimmjow between his legs first thing in the morning was, well, it was like a fucking dream come true. Maybe he wasn't awake yet?

"Heard this was a good way to wake up," Grimmjow said, displaying such a devilish smile, Ichigo felt himself throb in the blunet's hand.

"You don't have to do th- ah!"

Grimmjow wrapped his lips around the tip of Ichigo's cock and after a pause, did what his first instincts told him to- suck.

Ichigo tossed his head to the side and gave up on seeing straight. As much as he wanted to see Grimmjow down there, all he could manage to do so soon after waking was lay back and feel it. Grimmjow stroked him slowly, not quite the way Ichigo was used to, but he wasn't all that focused on the movement anyway. The blunet's lips dragged a circle around his head then kissed softly at the sensitive skin just beneath. Ichigo had no idea where Grimmjow learned this so soon, but the movements were vaguely similar to those he'd put into action just the night before. It was _damn_ nice being on the other end of the treatment, and it had been how long, exactly? Too long.

Grimmjow breathed hard from his nose and let his tongue drag shamelessly over Ichigo's cock, coating and soaking it before scooting forward and enveloping it with his mouth. Ichigo groaned loudly and fisted the sheets, his head tilting back and body arching all at once. Grimmjow sucked when half way down and then pulled back, letting his lips linger over the pre-come and saliva coated head while Ichigo squirmed on his back.

Grimmjow lifted a hand to Ichigo's thigh and brushed his fingertips over the inner, more sensitive skin, then reached up, grabbing one of his bruised hips. He squeezed it gently, listening to the way Ichigo mewled for him. Yeah, that right there made it worth his time.

The pain from his hip being grabbed did sting, but Ichigo loved it. He loved that it was a reminder of what they had done, what Grimmjow and he had both wanted and taken part in. Ichigo chewed his lip raw in attempt to keep quiet, but Grimmjow's surprisingly successful attempts at fitting most of it into his mouth and the quick bobbing he was doing in his lap made the task damn near impossible.

"Grimmjow-" One hand shot out to the blunet's head and pulled lightly on his hair to warn him, pull him off, anything that gave him a clue, but Grimmjow kept sucking, licking and groaning. All of it was too much.

When the first burst of his release hit Grimmjow's tongue, Ichigo felt a tinge of regret, but a world of relief.

Grimmjow pulled back and replaced what he withdrew from his mouth with his hand, stroking each of Ichigo's next few shots into his mouth and on his lips. The taste was a little bitter and the amount of it surprised him, but it wasn't all that bad. Grimmjow pulled back when Ichigo was spent and swallowed, wiping a hand across his mouth. All things considered, that had gone rather well.

Ichigo lay back, panting on the bed, defining bliss with his expression as Grimmjow moved up to lie next to him. The tangerine turned his head lazily, cheeks pink and eyes heavy.

"I guess you'd think I was delirious if I said I loved you right now," Ichigo said between breaths, smiling stupidly.

Grimmjow smirked, reaching out to touch Ichigo's flushed face. "You'd only be saying it because I'm a natural cock sucker."

Ichigo laughed and nodded, then rolled over to rest his head on Grimmjow's shoulder. "I really do like you," he whispered and reopened his eyes to look into electric blue ones.

Grimmjow's lips twitched into a smile and he tried to ignore the tightening in his chest as he slipped a hand into Ichigo's hair. "Yeah, same here."

Ichigo blushed and pressed his face into Grimmjow's arm. "You like yourself?"

"Hell yeah I do!"

Ichigo giggled and smacked Grimmjow's chest. Who could be so full of themselves so early in the morning? Grimmjow, apparently. Ichigo rolled over with a groan. "I'm going out with Tensa and Shinji today."

"Am I being dragged out too, or is this a chick thing?"

Ichigo stumbled out of bed, searching for his bag of clothes. "Are you trying to say you got fucked by a chick last night? And who's the one that just _had_ to suck me off this morning?"

"Are you complaining? Because I'd be fine if the roles were reversed next time," Grimmjow scooted himself toward the edge of the bed. "And what was I supposed to do with you rolling around like that this morning? Did you know you were humping my thigh?"

Ichigo's head popped through the tee shirt he'd just put on and saw Grimmjow grinning at him. "Did I really do that?"

"You sure did," Grimmjow got up, looking for a change of clothes to take into the bathroom.

Ichigo rubbed a hand over his face and ran it back through his hair. "I swear you make me feel like I'm in high school again."

"So you were a morning whore back then, too?"

"Oh fuck you, Grimmjow!"

"Shit, I'm not complaining. I sucked you off, didn't I?" Grimmjow grabbed Ichigo's arm to pull him into a hug. "You liked it"

Ichigo gave a sheepish smile. "Yeah, but you didn't have to do that."

"I wouldn't have if I didn't want to," Grimmjow kissed Ichigo's lips once, drawing it out for a moment. "Now go take a shower, your girlfriends are waiting."

"I'm not going out until noon!" Ichigo protested, but Grimmjow shoved him toward the bathroom and started pulling his shirt back off.

"It's already eleven, idiot," Grimmjow gave Ichigo's shirt another firm tug and scowled when it got caught beneath the tangerines arms. "Are you going to help me get this thing off or were you planning on showering in it?"

Ichigo pouted and lifted his arms, feeling like a child. Grimmjow yanked the shirt off, then turned to switch on the water before glancing back at him. "You coming?"

* * *

><p>"You're actin' weird."<p>

"What do you mean?" Shinji whisked around Nnoitra's apartment, a sparkle in his eye. A little tune flowed from his lips as he picked up random bottles and cans to dispose of them before doing another round to gather the bags of Chinese take-out from the night before.

"You're cleaning up without complaint for one," Nnoitra eyed Shinji warily, watching him prance around the room. He'd been like that all morning and it had gotten even weirder after Shinji came out of the bathroom a couple minutes ago.

"Can't I take care of my man without suspicion?" Shinji asked, dumping what he held into the trash and washing his hands in the sink.

"That what you think of me as? Your man?" Nnoitra snorted. His voice was loud enough to carry into the kitchen and he heard the sink stop, soft footsteps leading Shinji back out into the room.

Shinji stood there and put a hand on his hip. "Aren't you?"

Nnoitra grunted and reclined on the couch. "I'm not anyone's anything," He knew the blonde would bitch, but he wasn't about to resign himself to one person just yet. Nnoitra liked his freedom, even if Shinji kept him satisfied and there wasn't exactly anyone else he was looking at. That still didn't make him anyone's possession!

"Is that so?" Shinji floated over to the couch and straddled Nnoitra's legs. "That's not what you were saying last night," he purred out the words.

Nnoitra crossed his arms and leaned away from Shinji as far as he could. "I think all that blonde hair is getting to your brain."

A long finger brushed under Nnoitra's chin and turned him forward. "I think you just don't want to admit that I own you," Shinji dropped a hand down and grabbed Nnoitra's crotch. "And this."

Nnoitra grumbled as Shinji pushed a hand beneath his ass, gripping it roughly. "And last night, I owned this. Didn't I, Winky?"

Nnoitra tried to hide his excitement from those little deft hands moving all over him and failed miserably for a long couple of seconds. Focusing pointedly across the room, he put on a strong sneer and narrowed his eye. "Pick a new nick name. That one fucking sucks."

"You didn't answer me," Shinji said, pulling his hands away and leaning in tauntingly close. "Who made you scream last night, hm? Who was that?"

"Certainly not your bitch ass," Nnoitra growled, planting a hand in the middle of Shinji's chest and shoving the skinny blond right off his lap.

Shinji barely caught himself with a hand and stood back up, flipping his hair and rolling his eyes. The only reason he didn't start screaming was because he knew a fight would ruin his plans. "I don't know why you're being so stubborn. Grimmjow bottomed last night too, and I bet he's not moping about."

"Tch. I doubt that berry could even top a girl."

"He topped _me_ with no problem," Shinji threw back, offering a giggle when Nnoitra's eye shot open wide. _Perfect._

The blond quickly turned away. "Hey, your buddy is lucky! Ichi's _really_ good. Better than you even," Shinji then left the room with a bounce in his step. Counting slowly in his head, he paced toward the bedroom. _Five…four…three...two…_

"Get back here you skinny shit!"

Shinji stopped and leaned back against the wall outside the bedroom, unbuttoning his shirt lazily. Nnoitra stomped over, cursing up a storm, and stood in front of him. The blond had to hand it to Nnoitra, he was pretty hot when angry. Nnoitra's twitching lips and eye may have been scary to others, maybe even his height too, but Shinji loved all of it. The thin freak was just his type.

"Did you come to defend your honor?" Shinji asked, smiling sweetly up at _his_ man.

Nnoitra grabbed Shinji's shirt and ripped it open, tearing the rest of the buttons off so they scattered onto the floor. Shinji gasped in feigned surprise and pressed himself flat against the wall. "Are you angry with me?" he breathed, trembling dramatically.

Nnoitra only replied in the form of a grunt and yanked Shinji's tiny boy shorts off before lifting and slamming him against the wall, forcing the blond's legs to wrap around his waist. Without warning or lube, Nnoitra pulled himself out, stroked it twice and lined it up.

Shinji screamed when Nnoitra pushed in, but knew he was asking for it with all of the taunting. In fact, he couldn't believe it'd worked out so perfectly. Knowing that the taller male would resort to a forced fuck, Shinji had made sure to prepare himself well in the bathroom before coming out and launching his attack. Nnoitra seemed to figure out it after a minute, but he didn't stop, only slamming into Shinji harder to ease the embarrassment of being tricked.

Over Nnoitra's shoulder, Shinji grinned to himself and closed his eyes, securing his legs tighter around the thin man. He loved when things worked out exactly as he planned.

* * *

><p><em>About an hour later.<em>

Tensa sat alone in the food court, nearly salivating at all of the wonderful smells. He had half a mind to find something to eat while he waited, but he would have felt bad if Shinji and Ichigo arrived and then had to wait on him to finish before going to the movie.

The brunet dropped an elbow onto the table and sighed. He was still a mess from Shiro's touch the night before. Soft pants in his ear and a burning, golden stare, Shiro's moving hips. Tensa closed his eyes and willed himself to think about _anything_ else. They'd ended up sitting in his car for at least another twenty minutes before he told Shiro he had to leave. Tensa had come dangerously close to losing control and it bothered him that he wanted so badly to let go.

He gazed around the food court, at the people sitting at tables and talking, standing in lines for food. It made him feel lonely. Tensa knew it wasn't actually lame to be alone and enjoyed it mostly, but he couldn't help it sometimes. There would always be that part of him that longed for the comfort of close company, someone who understood his silence and strange way of seeing things. Someone like Ichigo.

And there he was.

Tensa watched his orange haired friend from across the food court. Ichigo looked around, searching for his friends, and he gave a wave when he spotted the brunet. Tensa waved back with a smile and soon, he was being pulled into a hug.

"Sorry for being late. Grimmjow and I kind of got caught up…uh," Ichigo blushed and Tensa knew he didn't need to hear the rest.

Ichigo sat down across from his friend and lifted an eyebrow when Tensa's stomach growled. "Why didn't you just eat while you waited?"

Tensa gave a halfhearted shrug and a smirk. "I didn't know if we were going to sit down or just go."

"Why else would we meet up at the food court? Goof ball," Ichigo sat forward and spread his legs beneath the table. "Anyway if you can wait a little longer, Shinji should be here soon."

"Yeah. Sorry, I guess I'm distracted."

Ichigo set his keys on the table and fiddled with them idly. "Don't be sorry. Why the distraction?"

"I think Shiro and I are starting to get serious."

"Aww, that's good Ten," Ichigo smiled at his friend.

"I know, but I'm just not used to it. I haven't been in a relationship for over a year and I don't know where to stop or where to go.." Tensa's eyes strayed to a mother who was dragging her child by the hand through the food court. "Shiro is being so kind and not pushing, but it makes me feel like I'm holding him back."

"Well don't. It's good that he can wait for you," Ichigo let go of his keys for a moment to reach out and touch Tensa's hand. "Just do whatever you feel is right, okay? I know you're smart enough to make the right decisions."

The brunet gave a half smile over a bitten lip. "I guess."

"You don't think so?" Ichigo frowned when he saw the uncertainty in his friend's eyes. Tensa may not have been the most outgoing person, but he was normally confident in himself. "Hey, did something happen?"

"Not really. We were just kissing but it started.." Tensa blushed, it was only natural, but it still embarrassed him to say it.

"Heating up?" Ichigo provided.

"Y-yeah.."

"Sounds hot," Shinji said, suddenly appearing and dropping his hands on Tensa's shoulders.

Ichigo sighed and sat back. He knew right away that he wouldn't be getting any more out of the brunet. Tensa had a way of clamming up when others were around, even if it was Shinji. _Especially_ if it was Shinji.

Tensa looked to be curling in on himself as he pulled the hood of his sweater over his head. "It wasn't a big deal."

Shinji shrugged and sat down.

"So how come you're late?" Ichigo asked accusingly, not wanting Tensa to feel awkward in the silence.

"Huh? Oh, I guess I am a few minutes late. Nnoitra and I had a fight." Shinji grinned.

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "It doesn't sound like a fight."

Shinji beamed, holding a pointer in the air. "That's because the best way to solve arguments is rough, angry sex."

"Won't you just fight about it again later?" Tensa questioned, knowing he would regret doing so.

"I can only hope," Shinji's eyes darted around the food court, glittering when he silently made his choice. "I'm starving, let's get some food."

* * *

><p>"Now that you've helped yourself to my food. Again. Want to tell me what you're here for? I was just about to leave," Grimmjow stood in front of his couch watching Nnoitra stuff his face with leftovers that had been in his fridge for some unknown amount of time. He wasn't all that peeved about it (the food would probably just go bad, if it hadn't already), but he really was trying to go somewhere.<p>

Nnoitra didn't bother to swallow before responding. "Hungry."

"That's all?"

"Nah," Nnoitra finally did swallow and took another bite. "Saw you about to get chewed out last night. Was wondering what Sosuke said to you."

"What do you think? He bitched about me not showing up, raised the stakes on my job and sent me home."

"Ah, so a slap on the hand is all you got. Lucky you," Nnoitra paused to lick some sauce from his finger in a way that made Grimmjow's nose wrinkle in disgust. "Shiro was leaving just before I went in and he didn't look all that happy. I'm guessing he's getting a reduced pay rate between jobs too, which is what I'm getting thanks to your sorry ass."

"Why is that my fault?" Grimmjow sat down on the edge of the coffee table. "Sounds like it affects everyone."

A long finger jabbed out at the blunet and a violet eye hardened. "Did he mention it to you?"

"Well no, but.."

"Then it doesn't affect everyone, does it?" Nnoitra shoved the last bite of food in his mouth and stood up, leaving the dirty dish on the table and wiping his hands on his pants. "That berry bitch of yours acting weird lately?"

_Apart from moaning in his sleep?_ "Not really. Why do you ask?"

"Shinji's actin' strange and I figured since they're attached at the hip, Ichigo might be doin' the same," Nnoitra turned the corner into the kitchen and grinned. "I heard you got fucked last night by the way, congrats on that."

"How do you already know that? Those two are like high school girls with their gossip," Grimmjow followed Nnoitra into his kitchen where he rummaged around in the cupboards for more food.

"No kidding, Shinji was just bursting to tell me as soon as he could. So what'd you think?"

Grimmjow straightened up and frowned at his friend's back. "Man, I'm not talking to you about this again."

Nnoitra poked his head out of the cupboard, coming up with a bag of chips and a package of ramen. "Come on you big baby. If they can do it, we can."

"Okay…" Grimmjow heaved out a big sigh. "Well it was, uh," Scratching the back of his head, the blunet considered his words. He watched Nnoitra squish the ramen in its package before tearing it open and pouring the dry noodles in a bowl with the seasoning. A bag of chips was opened and added to the dry ramen, then Nnoitra leaned back on the counter, lifting a dry chunk of noodle to his lips.

Grimmjow curled a lip, but he wasn't all that surprised. Nnoitra would eat anything. "It was better than I thought it would be. He's ..good at it and all," Grimmjow tried not to shiver when he pictured Ichigo above him. How was that still driving him crazy, even now?

"Yeah," Nnoitra chewed loudly, letting bits of noodle and chip fall back into the bowl from his mouth. "Shinji is, too."

Grimmjow lifted his head suddenly. "You don't think they…?"

"Nah, man," Nnoitra waved a hand. "Shinji joked about it but…well, I _think_ he was joking about it.."

The two men sighed and stood there while Nnoitra finished off his strange snack. It was silent as they attempted not to envision the other in compromising situations with their partners, or their partners together.

"This is fucking weird," Grimmjow said after a time.

"Yeah, fuck this dude," Nnoitra tossed the empty bowl in the sink and wandered toward the door. "Let's leave the chick talk to them."

"Fine with me," Grimmjow agreed, watching the taller man rip open the door and take a step outside. "See you later."

"Yeah, bye."

* * *

><p>"So after he gets home from wherever he had to go so urgently, he calls me and tells me to come over," Shinji shook his head "As if I never kicked him out in the first place."<p>

"And you went anyway," Ichigo said with a roll of his eyes. "Since when do you hold a grudge for less than a week?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?" Shinji asked over a bite of fries.

Ichigo shook his head and laughed. "No, not really."

Tensa wiped his mouth with a napkin, then sat back looking tired. Not unlike his friends, he hadn't gotten much sleep. Shiro had called him early in the morning saying he needed to talk and Tensa was the only one that could calm him down. Being unable to turn Shiro down, Tensa sat on the phone and chatted with him for near to three hours until he almost fell asleep in the middle of a conversation. After that, Shiro had insisted he go to bed, an offer Tensa didn't turn down.

Ichigo's phone rang and he dropped his pizza to wipe his hands before answering, walking away from the table. Shinji regarded him with a raised brow then went back to his fries while studying the slump in Tensa's posture. "So you and Shiro are on what base now? Second?"

"I'm not really…" Tensa brought his cup forward and took a big gulp, clearing his throat. He knew that Shinji was going to get an answer one way or another "Yeah, second, I guess."

Surprisingly, Shinji didn't comment. He smiled and continued eating, talking about random strange things he'd noticed about Nnoitra's behavior. None of it seemed too out of the ordinary, but Tensa listened anyway.

When Ichigo returned with a strange look on his face, the other two regarded him curiously until he explained.

"That was Renji, he wanted Uryu's number for some reason.."

"Uryu? Wait, you mean that douche from the beach?" Shinji asked.

"Yeah, him."

"Do you even have his number?"

"No, I don't, but I think Tatsuki has it so I told him to call her," Ichigo reached out to steal one of Shinji's fries and chewed silently for a moment. "Renji's a weird guy," he said randomly.

The other two snorted in agreement, nobody willing to comment or needing to. Of the four, Renji always was the oddball. He'd been the only one of them truly interested in sports and insisted on asking them over to watch this or that game. Sometimes, Ichigo would indulge Renji for the hell of it, but he always had to drink to keep from being completely bored. Then there was the fact that Renji was the only one in the group not interested in guys, which wasn't a problem, it just made some things difficult to talk about with him around. It wasn't that they couldn't be honest with the redhead, but it took a long time for Renji to be okay with them openly mentioning male on male sex.

Around the time that Renji's relationship with Rukia started getting serious, things had been kind of weird. Ichigo had no problem with Rukia and neither did the others. She was just so much more serious than them, so hanging out with her was kind of _weird_. Eventually things had become more comfortable as Rukia learned to accept them for the crowd they were, but every single one of them still dreaded having to be in the same room with her brother.

Now, with Renji married and a child on the way, things were surprisingly not much different than before. Sure, Renji had his freak out moments and Ichigo was always the one to get the phone calls about this or that stress issue. Ichigo didn't mind too much and was glad Renji still counted on him like a friend. Getting calls in the middle of the night about stupid stuff wasn't exactly his favorite past time in the world, but he could deal if that meant he maintained a connection to the redhead.

The three of them finished their lunch somewhat silently, all with their thoughts on other things and eyes wandering the area. Tensa still looked to be worried about his own relationship with Shiro and Ichigo told himself he'd find a way to get the brunet alone at some point during the day to have a real talk with him about it, maybe settle his nerves a little about getting more serious with Shiro.

When the food was gone and Shinji started chatting again, the other two took that as a sign that it was time for them to head to the movie. They walked through the mall to the theater at the very end of the building, listening to Shinji talk about how much it annoyed him when people wore sandals and dragged their feet really loudly. Shinji even pointed someone out when they passed, sending them a hard glare as they scraped and scooted away.

Ichigo just laughed and he heard Tensa's muted chuckle from next to him. Taking it as encouragement, Shinji started impersonated the shuffling stranger by hunching forward and over-exaggerating the movement; arms swinging back and forth at his sides while his shoes scuffed along the floor.

"See what I mean?" Shinji asked, a big smile decked across his face. He knew he was being silly but the other two just looked so zoned out and lifeless that he had to do something to wake them up.

When they neared the ticketing booth, Shinji's phone started ringing and the blond started dancing to the song. He grabbed Tensa's arms and shook them around, insisting that the brunet dance or else he'd never answer the call. Tensa blushed, looking around at the others in the ticket line. Biting his lip, he shook his hips timidly, wiggling his hands around to make Shinji's arms move. Ichigo just watched, unsure if he should help his embarrassed friend, or laugh at how happy it made Shinji when Tensa's slender hips started rocking back and forth.

Shinji beamed and finally flipped his phone out of his pocket, bringing up to his ear. He held back a laugh as Tensa covered his face with both hands. "This is Shinji, how may I help you?"

Tensa and Ichigo exchanged looks, shrugging at one another.

"Nah, what's up Kira?" Shinji covered his other ear and listened close. The ticket line was moving and he saw Ichigo move up to the counter to buy his ticket.

"Aw shut it already, of course I'll cover for you! Just hold on a sec, okay?" Shinji pressed a hand to the phone and waved Ichigo over while Tensa moved up to the counter. "Hey I gotta go into work for a while. Think you two can manage to quit being mopey if I leave you to it?"

Ichigo raised a brow but nodded and patted Shinji's shoulder. "Sure, I'll catch up with you later."

"Alright," Shinji raised the phone back to his ear and turned away, sending a wave over his shoulder. "Who are your regulars so I can make sure I cover them all?"

Ichigo smiled and watched him leave. As much as it sucked having Shinji go so soon, he was glad to have some time alone with Tensa. The poor brunet needed some cheering up, and as good a job as Shinji was doing, Ichigo knew it was going to take more than a couple laughs to ease his mind.

When Tensa came back with his ticket, Ichigo grabbed the brunet's wrist and led him in to find the line for snacks. "Shinji had to take off for work so it's just us two," he said with a smile. Tensa smiled back and nodded, letting himself be dragged away without complaint.

* * *

><p>Grimmjow shut off his car and dropped his head back. It took him an hour to drive out to this place and he still didn't know what he was going to say to explain why he needed help to get information for the first time in years. The last time he had to snoop like this was when he was younger, still a newbie to Seven. There had only been six agents back then with Sosuke as the lead, taking the top spot, but the older man relinquished the spot to let his subordinates do all the work.<p>

Grimmjow started out at rank six, being the least experienced of the group and having a lot to prove to make his way upward. He spent two years in that seat, scrambling to make his way up the ranks. Even when the others told him he was a natural, he had to go beyond that and really charm people, complete jobs quickly and without flaw to prove he deserved recognition. Because he spent so long as number six, Sosuke had all but demanded he be branded with the number to give him 'motivation' to succeed. Seeing he had little choice other than to back out or leave, (which really wasn't much of a choice at all considering it was a violation of his terms upon joining) Grimmjow got the bold, black tattoo on his back, which was where he chose to have it placed. At least when it was there, he didn't have to see it all the time.

After his third year with Seven, Grimmjow finally gained enough momentum to have the others turning their heads at him, worrying for their spots. But Grimmjow's first rise in rank had only been because of somebody dropping from the team. Barragan something or another. Grimmjow still wasn't all that sure what happened to the guy since people didn't exactly have the option to up and leave Seven when they wished. Whatever it was that kept him quiet, it couldn't have been pretty.

Grimmjow shivered and closed his eyes. He'd only ever thought about leaving a hand full of times, but he'd been so content with the job the last couple years that it hardly bothered him anymore that his career was basically that of a thief. When he'd been promoted to fifth seat, Grimmjow surprised Sosuke with how easily he took the rise in rank, the added jobs and more difficult clients.

After that, Grimmjow had sort of flown to the top, making enemies the entire way and then gaining their respect. Nnoitra and Shiro had been there longer than himself and still ended up lower ranked than him in the end. Starrk was by far the oldest member, Grimmjow's only superior in ranking and somewhat of a role model of his from when he'd first joined. Now that he knew the guys true, lazy nature, he realized he wasn't all that intimidating after all, but still a man to fear and respect.

Reaching out to grasp the car door handle and shove it open, Grimmjow maneuvered himself out of the seat and stood, staring at the home of the very same man he'd just been thinking about. Starrk could have easily afforded some sort of fancy, ridiculous sized home but had always been a guy for the simpler things and only owned what he thought necessary. Grimmjow figured it had to do with the fact that the first rank was just too lazy to manage a gigantic house and all the responsibilities that go along with it. It was still decent sized home with four rooms for all of those that stayed with him, one of which Grimmjow happened to be seeking out today.

Along with Starrk lived the Granz brothers -Szayel and Ilforte- and also Starrk's younger sister, Lilynette. The little girl was sweet and all, but she was a _handful_. Grimmjow still didn't understand how the lazy ass managed having her under the same roof what with her constant chattering and infinite amount of energy. Even worse than the little sister, though, were the dogs. Starrk, being the warm hearted dog lover he was, had at least six mongrels that wandered around the place stinking everything up and making Grimmjow cringe with their sharp, loud barks.

Grimmjow practically dragged himself toward the door. He knew he had no other choice but to seek the help of the three men for their ability to gain access to information that most thought impossible to reach. With a sneer on his face, the blunet raised a hand to the door and knocked quick and hard, recoiling as soon as he heard the chorus of barks that rang through the house afterward.

It took a minute of yapping and scampering on the other side of the door for someone to finally open it up, allowing little brown and silver noses to poke through the crack. Grimmjow backed away as they sniffed and snorted. "Would you lock those things away or something before I give 'em a reason to shut up?" Grimmjow growled, not even meeting Starrk's half shut eyes when the man regarded him with a lazy smile.

"How could you not love these guys?" Starrk asked, stepping back and pulling the door open wide so all of his pets had free reign on their new favorite target.

Grimmjow tried backing away, but all six mutts circled around him, panting and jumping and sniffing where their noses didn't belong. He tilted his head back and sighed loudly, wishing he hadn't come to this stupid place to begin with. "Call 'em the fuck off, Coyote!" Grimmjow shouted, closing his eyes and hoping the dogs would be gone when he reopened them.

Starrk laughed, a strange deep sound that might have otherwise made Grimmjow laugh too, and the man waved a hand at his furry friends. "All right, leave the poor guy alone and get outta here," Starrk pulled one of the dogs out of Grimmjow's crotch and rushed the rest away. Putting a big hand on Grimmjow's shoulder, Starrk smiled when the man reopened his eyes and sighed in relief.

"Thank fucking god, those things stink!"

"That isn't how they're supposed to smell?" Starrk hummed, leading his friend back into his home and shutting the daylight out with the door behind him.

Grimmjow squinted, blinking to adjust to the much darker area and looked down at the wooden floor to steady himself. "Are the Granz boys around today?" he asked, opening his eyes wider when he could finally see clearly.

"Well.." Starrk scratched the back of his head, sifting his fingers into his messy, brown mop of hair. He laughed and tilted his head back. "It's just that I've been lying down all day so I'm not entirely sure where those guys are at."

Grimmjow rolled his eyes but smiled anyway. What else could he expect from that laziest bastard he knew?

Starrk dropped the hand to his side and led Grimmjow away from the door. "Lily's coming down."

"How do you know that?"

Starrk raised an eyebrow and paused. Moments later, the two heard loud stomping down the staircase behind them. Grimmjow turned his head to see a small girl with short hair come flying in his direction. He barely had the time to throw his hands up before he was tackled and smothered.

"Grimmy!" Lilynette exclaimed, clinging with arms and legs around his torso. Before Grimmjow could manage a word, he was squeezed tightly, then the girl dropped to her feet and firmly shoved a fist right into his gut.

"Whoa there, that's no way to greet a friend, Lilynette," Starrk said, wrapping arms around the small girl and pulling her back.

Grimmjow frowned and rubbed his stomach. The hit was surprisingly hard and he hadn't been prepared for it at all. "What the fuck was that for?" he grumbled.

"You said you would visit more often! You're a liar and I hate liars!" Lilynette struggled in Starrk's arms until she squirmed right out of his grip. Grimmjow took a step back, this time prepared for another attack.

"Look, I don't remember saying that bu-"

"You did and it was over a year ago!" the young girl insisted.

"Well I'm sorry, okay?" Grimmjow offered a smile and slowly dropped his hands down when the girl looked to be calming down. "I see your hair is green now," he mentioned, hoping to distract her from delivering any more cheap blows. Every time he saw her, she'd bleached and dyed her hair some new color.

Lilynette flashed a big grin. "Yep. So why are you here?"

"He was looking for one of the Granz brothers," Starrk said. He picked a spot on the wall and leaned against it as he grew tired of standing upright. "Have you seen either of those two today?"

"Hmm," Lilynette made a face as she pondered. "I haven't seen Szayel, but Ilforte is up in his room. I asked him if I could borrow his computer earlier but he said no, like always."

The brunet shifted away from the wall to lead Grimmjow up the stairs. Lilynette shrugged and walked off.

"Something going on with your job, Grim?" Starrk asked, lazily ascending each stair with a hand on the rail.

Grimmjow considered his response and sighed when Starrk paused and glanced back at him. If anything, he didn't want to have to admit he needed help, but Starrk was first rank for a reason. Even with all of his training and skill, Grimmjow couldn't hide the truth from this man. "I need to get some background information without any actual contact."

Starrk raised a brow and turned the rest of the way around, pressing his back against the railing of the staircase. "Anything I can help with? I heard this job's pretty big. Might even pass me up if you do well."

Grimmjow winced and averted his eyes. It wasn't ever his intention to go for Starrk's spot. "That doesn't bother you?"

"Nope. I could use a break after a dozen years at the top, you know?" Starrk started to lift his shoulder, but looked to be too lazy to actually shrug. "I think you've got what it takes to surpass me. Always knew you'd catch up eventually."

Grimmjow smirked. "You're just saying that, you old dog."

The brunet chuckled and continued up the stairs. "Yeah, maybe. Doesn't mean I didn't see your potential."

"It helps that I always had you to look up to," Grimmjow patted the other man on the back as they reached the top of the stairs.

"So what's this about? I thought you had your own ways to get background information these days."

"I do but this is different. I kind of have this…" Grimmjow hesitated and bit the inside of his cheek. He hadn't meant to explain but he had to know that Starrk would pick up on his troubled look.

"The best way I can help is if you're honest, Grim. Just tell me what's going on."

Grimmjow sighed. "Fine, but let's find Ilforte first and I'll explain everything.

* * *

><p>"Ichigo, I wasn't expecting you," Zan peered at the younger male through the shine from the light on the porch and motioned him inside. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"<p>

Ichigo smiled winningly and moved inside, wiggling his feet a little when he stepped out of his shoes and onto the wild, shaggy rug. His old friend Zan was sounding more and more like Kisuke every day, what with the overly polite greetings and such. "I was wondering if you and Kisuke were still willing to let me spend some time out on that private piece of heaven you have behind the house. I know you said whenever I want but, I don't want to intrude.."

"Ah," Zan took Ichigo through the house to the back door where he waved toward the wide, beautiful view through the sliding glass doors.

Ichigo had always been so jealous of them having a beach side home, but they offered him use of it any time he wanted a while back, and he'd only taken advantage of it a couple times since.

"The offer still stands. No time is a bad time for company here."

While Ichigo doubted that, he nodded and put a hand on the door. "I know I've said this a million times, but you really are lucky."

"I know, Kisuke is a great man." Zan's face spread with a strange grin.

Ichigo attempted to cover his chuckle with a hand.

"Oh, you meant the beach," Zan glanced to the side, allowing his hair to cover a faint blush, poorly attempting to look like he was admiring the view outside the door. It was in that kind of moment that Ichigo realized how very like his father Tensa is.

"I'd say you're lucky for having both," Ichigo covered kindly.

"That I am," Zan looked back over at Ichigo, eyes narrowing slightly. He studied the way Ichigo didn't immediately look up for the stars, but instead watched the waves lapping over the shore. "Would it be too presumptuous of me to say something is bothering you?"

Startled from his silence, Ichigo looked up at his close, older friend. "Why would you say that?"

"Because you only ever come here when you've got a lot on your mind," Zan smiled to prevent the other from being embarrassed, but the pink tinge still spread on Ichigo's face. It never bothered Zan that Ichigo would gravitate to their house when something was on his mind. It had always been an honor to know that the younger male trusted them in that way and felt it was a safe place to go.

Zan could see Ichigo straining, attempting to decide what to say and what to keep to himself, so he shook his head, knowing it was best not to push the kid. He put a strong hand over Ichigo's shoulder and looked directly into surprised, brown eyes. "As always, Kisuke and I are here for you. You're welcome to use the beach and take what you will from the kitchen. We won't bother you unless that's what you want."

Ichigo exhaled gratefully and nodded. "Hey, where's Kisuke at anyway?"

"Oh, fooling around at the bar, I'm sure. I'll be meeting him there in an hour or so, but you're welcome to stay," Zan watched Ichigo slide the door open and look wistfully out at the shore. "I hope you enjoy yourself, Ichigo."

Ichigo thanked him and closed the door behind him, taking a deep, long breath when the ocean breeze washed over his skin. It was as if the wind had carried away his stress in an instant.

After the movie with Tensa, Ichigo noticed his friend was much more relaxed. He decided to offer his friend some take-out to bring back to his house so he would have the chance to talk away the rest of Tensa's nerves. As usual, the brunet surprised Ichigo with all of the emotion and struggle he'd been holding in. It all came rushing out while they sat on Ichigo's bedroom floor and stuffed themselves with food.

Apparently, Tensa was having trouble with his painting hobby because of all the confusion he felt about getting close to Shiro. Ichigo had just assumed that turmoil and confusion would be good fuel for art like that, but Tensa was different in that way, and clarity was his best inspiration. It gave him more freedom to think and imagine new things to create and discover with his talent. Ichigo was sorely jealous of his friends' ability, but would never grow tired of listening to Tensa talk about this or that project he planned to work on.

Chimes that hung from a window nearby tinkled lightly and Ichigo smiled, thinking that it was much more enjoyable than the loud, constant reminder of people going in and out back at the bar. Waves crested out on the horizon and the sun just barely peeked over them, sending scattered rays in every which direction that glittered and flashed along the surface. Ichigo suddenly felt the urge to sprint toward the water and he threw caution to the wind, tearing off his shirt and following the callings of the ocean to his body.

When his feet splashed into the water, Ichigo slowed to a jog and let the cool, refreshing liquid envelop him from toe to chin while as continued out deeper until he floated off the ground. With only private homes lining the beach, Ichigo knew nobody else would be around and leaned back, allowing the water to carry him to the surface where he waved and kicked slowly with arm and leg, closing his eyes and slowing his racing heart with calm inhales of breath.

It had taken some time for Ichigo to convince Tensa that allowing himself to open up with someone was perfectly reasonable. Ichigo fumbled at bit when he tried to recall his own relationships, unfortunately coming upon the fact that they were old and thus over with, but he tried to explain to Tensa that it was still worth having them and the experiences they provided.

Ichigo hoped he was able to get across that what he learned from each person he dated was important and the memories, mistakes he made had all be worth it in the end. It was hard to say all of that knowing what Tensa had been through to bring him to the scared and sheltered state he was in, but Ichigo felt it was time for his friend to get out there and try once again. Tensa was too great a guy not to allow himself the chance of falling in love. Ichigo truly hoped Shiro wouldn't be a jackass like the last guy.

Ichigo shifted upright and allowed himself to drop down beneath the surface to wet his face and the rest of his hair before paddling back toward the beach to lay out on the ground. He stayed close enough for the shallow waves to wash over his feet and let himself slowly sink into the sand here and there.

Nothing could have been more beautiful than this, except maybe the look he'd seen on Grimmjow's face after he came back in from showing just how capable he was in the water. Ichigo shivered and allowed himself to smile, letting his eyes lift up to the dark sky and rising moon. Someday he hoped to have his own place like this, near to his favorite place, maybe living with his favorite person. Ichigo knew that sort of dream was silly and unrealistic but hadn't ever restricted himself to practical ideals that others so regularly held themselves to.

Rolling onto his stomach with one elbow propping him up in the sand, Ichigo used a finger to draw out whatever came to his mind first. Of course, it was Grimmjow's name and he grinned as he traced each letter slowly. Ichigo sighed and dropped his chin onto an arm, breathing out over the sand and closing his eyes. It had been a while since he'd been so crazy about someone. Grimmjow frequented his mind almost constantly, but with those thoughts always came the questions.

When Grimmjow left the night after they'd first been together, it worried Ichigo a lot. He'd brushed it all off when the blunet came home a couples hours later but he still wanted to know what had been so important that his new boyfriend had to leave like that. Grimmjow outright refusing to answer questions was a bad habit he was hoping wouldn't become common within their relationship. Secrets and lies didn't sit well with Ichigo and he planned to make that clear the very next time they spoke. It was about time they start acting serious if they were going to be in a serious relationship.

Ichigo cleared away the gloomy, stressed thoughts and lay out for a little longer before dragging himself up out of the sand. He took a moment to write a big enough 'Thank You' into the sand in front of the back door for his friends to see, then rinsed off quickly under the outdoor shower and walked around the house to his car. He saw that neither Kisuke nor Zan were home and smiled, hoping they were having a nice, late evening out together.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

I know this is late. I have had a very trying day. I try not to let negative people get to me, but it's a hard thing to do when I'm already feeling down. Forgive me if anything in this chapter has reflected that at all.


	9. Wrath

**Chapter Nine: Wrath.**

**OR**

**What's To Come.**

* * *

><p>Grimmjow pressed two fingers to his temples and stared up at the ceiling. He'd been waiting half an hour for the information he needed, and now Ilforte was trying to say there was absolutely nothing to find?<p>

"What do you mean there's nothing? Did you check the bills, the in and out traffic, friends, relatives…"

"I don't know man, I checked all of that and there isn't anything to tell," Ilforte swiveled in his chair side to side, keeping his eyes on the computer screen. "Except that I think it's strange that this Ichigo person is living in a lousy apartment when he could be pimpin' an uptown condo," The blond pointed at his monitor. "His family's got enough to buy him three homes without batting an eye. Also, he's got friends in the same situation. This Tensa kid supports himself on what looks like art commissions and a crappy bartending job. He's paying the bills legit and I don't see anything else funny…"

Grimmjow sighed, pushing the hand over his entire face as he thought over the information he'd been given. As far as he was concerned, nothing was strange about rich kids refusing their parents' money. Especially ones like Ichigo and Tensa. "That's not really news, Ilforte. I'm looking for more than that, something deeper. Ichigo doesn't seem to have a clue what's going on in Benihime's and his father is just as oblivious. It could be that he's just a really fucking good actor, but man.." Grimmjow shook his head. "If so, that man deserves an award or something. Both of them do."

Ilforte turned completely around and swept a hand over his brow to brush the hair from his face. "I'm telling you, I've never seen a case this way. Even if you up a random person on the street, you'd find more dirt than this. It's almost too clean. The whole lot of them are clean nosed as can be."

"Too clean?" Grimmjow reclined on Ilforte's bed and spread his arms apart. "What the fuck does even that mean?"

"It means that they're either hiding something big and have connections to keep it hidden, or they're just a bunch of brown nosing do-goods that should be living on the Truman Show."

"I got that much," Grimmjow sighed and rolled over on his side. "I just don't know where to start. I've been on this assignment for over a month and I'm closer to Ichigo than I've ever been to a subject on the job, yet still I have nothing. Not a scrap of information, no clues or even trails to follow. I'm dead in the water and Sosuke's just waiting to tear me up."

It really didn't make sense, and the more Grimmjow thought about it, the more his head hurt. Things weren't supposed to be this complicated. It was meant to be an easy job, just a quick in and out and if he was lucky, he'd get a promotion out of it. But this was anything but simple, Ichigo was nothing if not complicated.

Grimmjow sat up suddenly and glared at Ilforte's monitor. "Try it again. Check the little things, ones that don't normally matter. How often they get mail, any numbers like addresses and phone numbers that might mean something. Do their middle names spell out some sort of retarded, secret message? Check it all, I don't care how dumb it seems. We know they've got dirt, we just have to find it."

Ilforte sighed. He didn't turn back to the computer, but just sat there, staring at the blunet.

"What's the hold up?" Grimmjow gestured to Ilforte's desk "I'm running out of time. Like I said, I've got a week before Sosuke rips me a new hole."

"More fun for the gentlemen then, hm?" the blond teased, winking when Grimmjow's eyes flashed murderously. Ilforte had taken the news of Grimmjow's sudden sexual_ awareness_ rather well, but he wouldn't be passing up any chances at free, snide remarks. The information was still new, after all, and it wasn't like Grimmjow came around often enough for things like that to get old. Still, before Ilforte poked any more fun or went chasing down information that probably didn't exist, he wanted to mention something to Grimmjow.

Grimmjow was snarling and glaring from the bed, looking like he might have already pounced if Ilforte didn't have several thousand dollars of electronics on his desk.

"Have you considered that maybe you're just a little too close to the target? I know it's not like you can back off at this point, but maybe if you spent less time together," Ilforte tilted his head pointedly. "Particularly in bed.."

"That's not the issue here."

Grimmjow's voice had a low, warning tone that Ilforte knew meant he wasn't kidding. But the blond knew he had to be straight. If he was going to risk his neck to get a few extra facts that may or may not be useful, he wanted to be positive that it would be worth the trouble. Having Grimmjow get caught trying to handle too many things at once could be bad for him too, and Ilforte didn't feel like getting involved in Sosuke's tangled web any more than he had to.

"Maybe just consider it then?" the blond said calmly, leaning back in the chair before swiveling around toward the screen. "I know Starrk was supportive when you told us and all, but what he failed to tell you was-"

"Good afternoon, Grimmjow!"

Grimmjow glanced toward the door and immediately sagged. He'd always been fine with Szayel, but that was before freaking Twilight Bark told the entire neighborhood that he was dating a guy. Then Starrk had slinked off for a nap, leaving Grimmjow behind to answer questions. He thought he'd been lucky not to run into Szayel. Until now.

Flashing a wide grin, Szayel moved toward the bed without saying a word of welcome to his brother. He sat down next to Grimmjow, focusing his full attention on him, and crossed his legs, making a point to show how very little his white shorts covered. Leaning to the side, Szayel dropped his pink head on Grimmjow's shoulder. "A little doggie told me that you have reconsidered your sexual interests," Szayel said saucily, batting his eyes in an overly exaggerated way.

Grimmjow groaned and dropped back on the bed, robbing Szayel of his leaning spot.

"Laying down may not be your wisest move for avoiding my brother's not so subtle attempts at wooing you," Ilforte said dryly, not turning away from the computer in effort to avoid Szayel's dirty looks.

"Whoever asked you?" Szayel said, finally addressing the blond without allowing his eyes to leave Grimmjow. He had one hand up, winding the fingers into his loose, pink pony tail.

"He's taken now, you know," Ilforte said.

"Only until his assignment is over, and we both know the relationship isn't _real_," Szayel smirked and lay down on his stomach next to Grimmjow. "Anyway, I'm just messing with him. As much as I love the manly, macho types, I prefer someone that actually knows what they're doing in bed,"

Szayel kicked his feet and smiled dreamily, not noticing the way Grimmjow's hands curled into fists. "Guys like Shiro! Who _knows_ how long I've been chasing after him," Szayel turned to Grimmjow and brushed a hand over his arm as the blunet inched away uncomfortably. "If I remember correctly, your boy is a cutie, but I doubt he's half as good looking as Shiro."

"You'd be surprised," Grimmjow grumbled.

"Oh? Maybe you could arrange for us to meet."

Szayel's amber eyes lit up and Grimmjow decided to get out of there before the guy got any big ideas. The blunet leapt off the bed and passed by Ilforte's chair, leaving him with a sharp flick to the ear. "Let me know when you find something," he said, then made his escape, hurrying down the stairs and nearly tripping over Lilynette where she sat at the door.

"Whoa, where are you going without saying goodbye?" she shouted.

Grimmjow grunted, pulled her up for a tight hug, then set her back down and fled from the house, hoping not to run into any flea bags on the way to his car.

The way home felt twice as long as the ride there. Going to Starrk's place had been Grimmjow's last option for getting information without risking Ichigo finding out about his assignment. Grimmjow wished he could just ask the tangerine what was going on, but he knew it didn't work that way. Likely Ichigo would push him away after finding out the true reason he'd gotten close with him. There was just no way it would work out.

Grimmjow cursed into the silence of his car. No matter what, it was going to end badly. He couldn't finish his job _and_ keep Ichigo. Besides, even if he did stay with Ichigo, how long would he be able to keep a secret like that? Grimmjow would either have to tell the tangerine what he did for work and hope he didn't figure out the true reason they'd been brought together, or make up a better lie that would convince Ichigo to trust him.

The whole deal was so much more complicated than he'd ever thought it would be. It didn't help that he'd gotten Nnoitra and Shiro involved too, though usually that wasn't much of a big deal. The three of them knew how to extract themselves and become invisible for long enough to lose any heat from a finished job, but Grimmjow realized this was much more serious. He could tell that Shiro was truly interested in Tensa, which was a miracle in itself, and Nnoitra may never admit it, but he had a thing for that Shinji guy. Which left Grimmjow stuck in the middle to take all the heat.

Grimmjow's fingers tightened around the wheel of his car and his jaw set hard, teeth clenching tightly. He cared for Ichigo, more so than he would have ever expected. After countless jobs, times where he'd controlled himself and put on an emotionless mask for those that he deceived, somehow all of that had come undone under Ichigo's spell.

That damned tangerine with his unknowingly sultry walk, his silent understanding and those magical hands. Every little feature on Ichigo's stupid, cute face and the subtle emotions he could portray with a look in his eyes. Everything about the damn tangerine added up to one hell of a weakness for Grimmjow. He already felt himself fraying at the edges when realizing there was no possible way he could continue seeing Ichigo when the week was through.

Ichigo would hate him, maybe even hunt him down. Grimmjow felt sweat trailing down his face and sighed, switching on the AC and wondering why he hadn't noticed how hot it'd been inside the car. He was so distracted, it was a wonder he could drive. Thought after frustrating thought tumbled into his head and clattered around with all of the other stress that had built up over time.

If asked with a gun to his head, Grimmjow never would have admitted he'd been attracted to guys before. Not before he knew Ichigo. But it wasn't because he denied it or was lying to himself. The truth was that he never knew, never even suspected. He hadn't ever caught himself staring or wondering, not even admiring someone attractive that just _happened_ to own a penis. Grimmjow had to wonder if he'd become a schizophrenic somewhere along the line because this part of him seemed to materialize out of nothing and start building moment upon moment until it crashed down on him.

It all started with the night he kissed Ichigo after the carnival. But it had been even worse when he came back from Shinji's birthday celebration. Grimmjow wasn't scared, not really, just confused. How had all of this happened and why was he just realizing it now? Grimmjow hadn't ever asked himself, never thought he had to. He just figured since he was happy with girls, why bother wondering?

Grimmjow shivered as the chilly breeze from his cars air conditioning blew over his sweat dampened skin. Maybe if all this sexuality stuff hadn't been distracting him, he might have come up with something to keep Sosuke busy. He didn't think he could lie to his boss, but at least if he had some tiny scrap of information as proof that he was making progress, Sosuke might let up a little and the whole situation might have been avoided. It was too late now. Grimmjow had already backed himself into a corner with no way out but to fight until he went down.

Pain burned through the muscles in his arms and Grimmjow relaxed his grip on the wheel, realizing he'd been tightening more and more until his knuckles went pale and it's started to ache. Grimmjow cursed again at his stupidity, at Ichigo for being so fucking amazing. At the fact that he had been careless enough to act like himself on a job and allow himself to fall…to fall…? Grimmjow slammed on the breaks and growled beneath his breath. A low rumbling slowly built into a thundering in his chest, then he let it out as a scream, deep and loud until his neck strained and his voice broke under the pressure. Grimmjow slammed his hands on the wheel and pressed his head back into the seat, closing his eyes and catching his breath.

Years ago, Grimmjow promised himself he wouldn't do this. He wouldn't let someone have control over him or his emotions ever again. His relationship with his ex-wife was enough to prove that he wasn't made for that sort of thing. It went spiraling out of control and turned into the disaster that left him homeless, jobless and penniless. Everything he'd worked for on his own, supporting himself through high school and college without a family to assist him had all come to a crashing halt when Nelliel walked into his life.

The relationship was rough from the beginning and only got worse over time until Grimmjow decided he couldn't take it anymore. The divorce had left him broken and alone. Then he'd suffered for another two years afterward because of her insistence on dragging everything out for the longest possible amount of time. Those two years after they split were Grimmjow's first in Seven, and those lucky enough to be his friends had been subjected to her wrath as well. Needless to say, everyone had been glad when she moved from the country to torture some other poor soul in the states. Grimmjow hadn't been happier in his life when he heard the news.

After that, he'd sworn to himself that no other person would get that close to him, nobody would see the real Grimmjow or even get the chance. Which turned out to be perfect with his new job of acting and putting on a show every day. Sure, he let friends in, but never allowed anything truly intimate, and nobody he could potentially fall in love with.

So how had Ichigo just come right through all of Grimmjow's barriers and self-promises without even a bat of an eye? Grimmjow swallowed and pulled off of the road, absently glad that he'd decided to have his breakdown on a street that wasn't busy. He parked at a grocery store and got out, deciding to walk around inside to calm himself down.

* * *

><p>"So this is what a baby shower is like!" Shinji took in all of the powder colored decorations and trays of snack foods scattered around the room. Various people mingled and spoke, most of them crowded around the expecting mother herself. Rukia wore one of her favorite sundresses and had the brightest smile on her face as she spoke with others across the room.<p>

"Why are we here?" Ichigo spoke up from next to Shinji. Renji had just come over to thank them for coming, but the redhead could tell that his friends were a little confused.

"Isn't this sort of thing supposed to be for chicks?" Ichigo asked.

Renji shushed Ichigo and turned him away from the rest of the room. Shinji poked his head over Renji's shoulder to listen in.

"Rukia doesn't…exactly have that many female friends, okay?" Renji said in a hushed tone. "So a lot of the people here are going to be the friends we share."

"And by that you mean _your_ friends," Ichigo deadpanned. Too make matters worse, standing across the room between Rukia and a familiar, orange haired girl was Uryu Ishida. Uryu was dressed up as usual and was talking animatedly with the girls as if he were one of them. "Why exactly is _he_ here?"

Renji turned to follow Ichigo's glare. "Oh, Uryu? Well he did a favor for me recently, and he just happens to be dating one of Rukia's friends."

"What? Giggles n' Jugs over there?" Shinji asked, none to delicately.

Ichigo stifled a laugh. Renji blushed and then nodded. "Orihime. Yeah, she and Rukia go way back apparently. She's sweet but her cooking… Well let's just say anything you see at that table over there isn't safe to eat."

Ichigo twitched. "I kind of figured when I saw baked beans sitting in the same plate as Jell-O.."

The three shuddered.

Ichigo wasn't sure what to expect after Renji called him last minute. The redhead explained in a rush that he'd forgotten to send invitations and would be properly slaughtered if people didn't show up to the little baby shower he was throwing for Rukia. Since Ichigo didn't have much to do until later in the evening, he agreed to go and made arrangements to pick Shinji up to bring him along. The fact that the two of them tended to work around the same times was pretty convenient and left them a large portion of each day to hang out together should they choose to.

Renji was a different story, what with his office hours being the regular nine to five, but they still managed to draw him in from time to time to go out for drinks or whatever else was on the table for the night. Of course, Renji was expected home earlier than the rest. But they had gotten used to it and even teased Renji when the time came for him to leave, and they had to practically force him out the door.

On a last minute whim, Ichigo stopped on the way to pick out a gift at the nearest baby store. Shinji had surprised him with his plentiful knowledge of what would or would not be a good gift for parents expecting a child. Ichigo spent the entire spree in the store staring at his friend like he was crazy until they checked out and he finally gave up trying to explain the mystery logically. Shinji liked to have his secrets and Ichigo figured it was better off that he didn't know why the blond was suddenly a baby expert.

Ichigo glanced in the direction of Uryu again and smiled when his eyes wandered over to his old colleague's date. Orihime beamed back at Ichigo in return and stepped sideways into Uryu, bumping him on the shoulder and alarming him while he spoke. Uryu looked up to see what had bothered the girl and his bright expression fell when he spotted Ichigo. Rather than just avoiding Ichigo for the entire party, Uryu excused himself from the conversation and wandered over to greet the three friends.

"Have a nice chat with the girls, Uryu?" Ichigo asked, letting his eyes trail back to Orihime just in time to see the blush he caused. He returned his focus back to Uryu and found him with a deep scowl, one hand lifted to push his glasses further up his nose.

"I will remind you that I am here with a date, while you look to be alone," Uryu mentioned snidely.

"How do you know he's not with me?" Shinji asked, leaning closer to wrap an arm around Ichigo's waist.

Ichigo's eyes widened minutely before he relaxed and let out a sigh. It was just Shinji being Shinji.

"Another guy already, Ichigo?" Uryu shook his head in disbelief. "Really, I thought you had more class than that, but I suppose I underestimated just how difficult it must be for you to find someone that appreciates you."

Renji rolled his eyes and walked off in attempt to keep form causing at scene at Rukia's party. He knew he owed Uryu for the favor he'd done him but he honestly hated the guy whenever he spoke.

Shinji felt the tension rising in Ichigo's form and had half a mind to smack Uryu for talking down his friend. But, Shinji figured it was best to just let Ichigo handle it. Ichigo had a thing about taking care of himself and tended to get a little mad when others tried to defend him. Especially when he was there to do it himself.

"I could say the same to you, Uryu," Ichigo said, flicking his eyes toward Orihime once more and grinning when he found that he still held her attention. "Or did you bring her here just to stare at other guys?"

Uryu's shoulders raised and he looked to be thinking of something to say. Then after a moment, he sighed and turned sharply away. Ichigo heard him huff out a sigh and watched him return to the other side of the room. Uryu didn't say a word to Ichigo for the rest of the party but did cast the occasional icy glare in his direction while grabbing Orihime's hand as if to prove he had her interest.

* * *

><p>Passing time was never one of Grimmjow's strengths. He knew via text message that Ichigo had some sort of party to go to, and since he was still awaiting results on Ilforte's search for information, there was nothing else to do. Grimmjow wanted to sleep in, but even that hadn't worked for him. It always happened that way. When he wanted to sleep in, he had to get up for something, and when he had no plans, his body just wouldn't cooperate. Now was one of those times.<p>

Grimmjow turned over in bed and groaned at the sheets. His room was dark from the thick curtains in the window, but he knew it was past noon. He'd been laying there trying to come up with a solution for the situation he seemed to have thrown himself into by opening up to Ichigo. There wasn't any way to be sure how long it had been. Long enough for Grimmjow to realize that sulking wasn't making anything clearer. At the very least, if he was going to fail at both the relationship with Ichigo and his job, he could spend some time with Ichigo before his life went to shit. Grimmjow decided to call Ichigo later and have him meet up after his party thing, but for now he'd have to find something else to do.

After wandering around in the grocery store the night before, he'd ended up shopping, so that was out of the way for the week. Grimmjow dragged himself out of the room and was greeted by a very anxious, attention deprived Tera. She quite loudly shared her distaste with his laziness and lack of love over the last few days, sauntering around with her tail flicking side to side.

Grimmjow cocked a lazy grin and flopped down on the ground, grabbing a nearby toy and tracing it on the floor for her to follow. Tera immediately burst into action and sped around after the little plastic stick, hopping and pouncing on it before running off to hide behind the couch and spy on its movements. Grimmjow chuckled and wondered if it were perfectly acceptable to spend the day with his cat, the only one he hadn't managed to get involved in the big mess he was in. Then again, Ichigo had been the only guest Tera had ever been so fond of.

When the white kitten trotted back over and head butted his arm, Grimmjow scooped her up and held her close.

"What's your loser daddy gotten himself into now?"

Tera looked up at him with wide eyes and Grimmjow set her back down before she brought out the claws. Tera wasn't normally the cuddly type but she'd tolerate a couple seconds of squeezing most of the time. Grimmjow tossed the toy off to the side and shifted off the floor to make some coffee. Maybe since he had the time, he'd actually cook himself a real meal.

* * *

><p>Tensa paused with the paintbrush poised over the canvas and breathed in deeply. A breeze tousled his hair and scattered the loose sheets of paper he had set on the table next to him. The sketches drifted to the floor and Tensa glanced over to them before returning his gaze to the portrait he'd been working on.<p>

He'd managed to make a good deal of progress after he woke up early and convinced himself to start on one of the few commissions he had to finish in the next week. It was easier for Tensa to motivate himself to paint something that had already been picked and described ahead of time. The particular portrait he'd been working on today was of a strange, tall, gangly man that insisted on being called Don despite the fact that his name was really Misaomoru.

Don wore strange outfits and spoke in a peculiar mix of Japanese and English. Tensa had a hard time understanding him and had to ask him to repeat himself quite a few times when the man made an order. He was one of Tensa's few regulars though, and provided him with a steady flow of incoming money. Tensa wasn't about to complain or make a big deal about a few confusing words that normally didn't matter much anyway. But he was curious about where exactly Don kept all of the paintings, as he had done at least a dozen already and had more lined up for the future.

After deciding the painting was ready to be left for drying, Tensa set his brush down in a cup of water and wiped his hands off on the half apron tied around his waist. Next, he wandered around to pick up the loose sketches on the floor and sat down at the table, eying the one sitting on the top. It was one he'd drawn of Shiro, of a specific moment when the albino came over a few nights ago.

Shiro had claimed he wanted Tensa to teach him how to play a song on his acoustic guitar and insisted upon it until Tensa gave in. The process had turned out to be rather hilarious as Shiro didn't have the coordination to hold the frets and strum at the same time. Tensa ended up moving behind Shiro to wrap his arms around Shiro while guiding him through each bar of the song until he had a decent rhythm going. The result was still pretty terrible, but it wasn't something he'd ever forget. Especially when he saw the smile on Shiro's face after he told him he'd successfully learned a song.

_Twinkle Twinkle Little Star_ wasn't exactly a masterpiece, but it excited them both when Shiro managed to play it out once on his own. After that, Tensa couldn't get the image out of his head; Shiro's big goofy smile and his awkward hands and arms as he held the guitar in his lap. Tensa couldn't help drawing it and smiled down fondly on the sketch before setting it aside.

It surprised Tensa when Shiro showed a great deal of interest in his art. When he first asked Shiro over, Tensa actually hid most of his supplies so it wouldn't seem like that big of a deal that he loved to paint. His place was sort of a mess before that, with laundry all over, notepads and drawing materials everywhere. It was a wonder he hadn't lost or stepped on anything before he tidied most of it up.

The first thing Shiro did when he came inside was comment on how large the place was. Shiro _loved_ to point out how ridiculous it was that Tensa could support himself on 'such a crappy job'. That was when Shiro asked what else Tensa did on the side and made a lewd joke about Tensa putting his good looks to use. Then Shiro noticed the smell of paint. Of course, it wasn't easily masked, even though Tensa had a room set aside for drying (with plenty of windows) so he didn't have to inhale it all day. It was a smell he'd gotten used to, so it wasn't all that noticeable for him.

Once Shiro noticed, he wandered around the house until he found the room with all of the paintings in it. Tensa stood in the doorframe biting his nails while his boyfriend wandered around and eyed each individual canvas. When Shiro came full circle back to the door, the albino observed Tensa with wide eyes and pulled his sunglasses away so that Tensa could fully appreciate his expression. One of awe.

After that, Tensa figured he should explain his hobby and side job. Shiro was very interested and insisted Tensa paint him something or show him the process one day. Tensa agreed even though he didn't fully intend on doing so. He hadn't ever painted with someone watching unless it was a client, and it was never anyone he was close with.

Tensa tucked the drawings away into a folder and carefully picked up the finished painting to carry into the house.

Something about the way Shiro's eyes lit up when he walked around the studio made Tensa slightly proud. It seemed that Shiro was almost jealous of his talent, but at the same time delighted to know about it. Tensa figured it wouldn't hurt to share his hobby with him, it just seemed like another big step he wasn't sure he was ready to take.

When Tensa talked with Ichigo about opening up and being honest with someone you expected honesty from, it had slightly opened his eyes. He had been holding back, sheltering his feelings and himself from Shiro while expecting Shiro to be honest and outward with what he felt. It wasn't fair at all of him to expect that, so Tensa promised himself to give a little more, to stray out of his comfort zone and bring Shiro closer. He just wasn't sure how to do that.

Untying his smock and setting it aside, Tensa grabbed a sketch book and sat on the couch, crossing his legs with his feet tucked up under him. He rested the sketch book on his thigh and he traced the pencil over the paper in slow, sweeping curves. To his surprise, what came from the randomly drawn lines was a rough sketch of Shiro's chest. Tensa blushed while inwardly berating himself for being embarrassed by a drawing.

He continued the lines down to Shiro's waist and sharp hips and then paused, moving back up to define the muscles along Shiro's chest. Tensa had always had a thing for men with smaller, yet still fit builds and Shiro had turned out to be exactly that. Even though Tensa hadn't actually seen much of Shiro or been able to get a glimpse of him without a shirt yet, he was still able to fill in the blanks what with the way Shiro always wore skin tight shirts and those white tank tops. Tensa smiled to himself, making small definitions for each of Shiro's nipples as his bottom lip sucked between his teeth. He couldn't help it, Shiro was even attractive in drawn form.

Tensa threw himself back on the couch and let his notebook fall to the ground,. He lifted the pencil to chew on the middle while his mind ran away with the images of a half-naked Shiro. He knew Shiro had tattoos and had seen parts of them curling out of his shirt to wrap around his shoulders. Tensa was curious about where they led or came from and what the design looked like, but had yet to get a clear view.

The brunet tilted his head back, letting it dangle off the side of the couch while his feet came up to rest on the back of it. One of his hands came up to draw across his chest, imagining what it might look like if Shiro had some sort of quote or picture covering the hard muscles beneath taut, pale skin. Tensa shivered and reopened his eyes, letting his hand fall to the side. He blinked at the ceiling.

Then Tensa made a decision. He thought of a way to share with Shiro and also get him to remove his shirt. Now all he needed was the guts to go through with it.

* * *

><p>Grimmjow lifted his shirt to take one last peek. <em>Somehow<em> he managed to burn himself while attempting to cook ramen. When dropping the noodles into the pan a little too eagerly, boiling water had splashed out and pooled in the tiny fold created by his waist band, thus burning the tender skin of his stomach until Grimmjow hopped around and managed to shake it out.

Grimmjow growled at the little red spot and pushed his shirt back down. After that little fiasco, he'd decided not to push it with the self-made meal thing. In a rush, he turned off the stove, threw the pot in the sink and left for some take out. Dollar menu cheeseburgers weren't really fulfilling, but did the job.

Now, Grimmjow walked through the parking lot at a bar, planning to spend the rest of the time on his own brainstorming and attempting not to drink too much. He fell onto a stool once inside and fished out his phone to stare at the screen and wonder how long he should wait for Ichigo's party to end. It felt like it had been hours and he was starting to wonder what sort of stupid occasion would take that long. Maybe he'd gone home with someone that wouldn't lie to his face after sex? Grimmjow snorted. Ichigo wasn't that sort of guy.

"Waiting for Ichigo?"

Grimmjow looked up and squinted at the man behind the bar. Shaded eyes surveyed him from beneath a striped hat, a mildly familiar image. Then Grimmjow realized what he'd done, or rather where he was. Of all the places he could have gone, he decided to walk into the one bar where he'd be least likely to escape his troubles.

"Huh?" Grimmjow asked, still unsure what the other man meant.

"You are Grimmjow, aren't you?" The blond, hat wearing man fetched a glass and filled it to the brim with what he knew was Grimmjow's favorite beer (courtesy of Ichigo) and set it down in front of him.

"I guess that makes you Kisuke?" Grimmjow sipped from his glass and smirked. Figures that Ichigo would not only know what he preferred to drink, but also tell the other bartenders should the occasion rise where they had to serve him. The situation might have been a little sweeter had it not meant that Ichigo would be working tonight.

"Ichigo has spoken of me?" Kisuke dropped his elbows onto the counter and rested his chin on his hands. "Do tell me more!"

* * *

><p>Ichigo had just finished buttoning up his vest when he stepped inside Benihime's, and his immediately eyes locked on the blue haired man sitting at the bar. Ichigo smiled and wondered if Grimmjow had come just to wait for him, though he hadn't remembered mentioning that he was on shift tonight.<p>

Grimmjow looked up expectantly after hearing the jingling at the door and their eyes locked, both of them stilling for a moment while the world around them seemed to pause.

Ichigo shook the hair from his eyes and walked over to wrap his arms around Grimmjow's waist from behind. "Hello there," he said, leaving a chaste kiss on Grimmjow's cheek before attempting to pull back.

Grimmjow grabbed Ichigo's arms and kept him close. He turned his head and gave the tangerine a look that said he wasn't letting go until he got a proper greeting. Ichigo blushed, but came back in, sealing their lips together softly. Grimmjow hummed and reached back, threading a hand into Ichigo's hair and pulling him closer.

"My, my, it appears you two have missed each other!"

Ichigo jerked away and straightened his vest. Embarrassment showed in the red tint of the skin on his ears and cheeks. "Kisuke..hi..um."

"Ah, don't apologize to me," The bar owner waved a hand. "I quite enjoy seeing proof of your happiness, even if it's in front of many spectators."

Ichigo's blush deepened. Grimmjow chuckled and brought him back in. "Give me another, I think he likes it," the blunet whispered.

The tangerine recoiled and held up his arms. "Absolutely not!"

"Aw, you're no fun, Ichigo," Kisuke whined.

"Pervert," Ichigo muttered and wandered off to fetch his apron for work.

Kisuke smiled after him and leaned down on the counter again. "Bravo! I don't believe I've seen him red like that in quite some time."

"Tch," Grimmjow gave the man a dangerous leer. "That was just a kiss, too,"

"Oh my!"

The rest of Ichigo's shift had a similar feel to it as those first moments when he walked in. Grimmjow decided to stay and provide what he liked to call _entertainment_ for Kisuke and anyone else that enjoyed watching Ichigo blush madly for what felt like hours. Luckily, it wasn't one of the busier nights or he might have drawn the line when Grimmjow caught him coming out of the restroom and practically molested him in the relative privacy provided by the hallway. Ichigo ended up having to go right back into the bathroom to calm himself down as Grimmjow returned to the bar and likely relayed the whole story to Ichigo's perverted boss.

Ichigo splashed cool water over his face and stared at his reflection, hating the fact that he had been red from the second he came in for work, all the way up until now. He truly hoped that Grimmjow didn't plan to make a habit of showing up during the times he worked. As much as he loved having the man around, he couldn't focus or accomplish much of anything at all. Not to mention it took commendable amounts of restraint not to pull the blunet into a bathroom stall and square away all of the sexual tension in one, five minute quickie. Ichigo might have tried already if he didn't think the creepy old blond had some sort of camera set up to catch all of it.

When Ichigo finally came back out, he wasn't met with a heated, blue stare but a scowl instead. Against his better judgment, he moved over to Grimmjow to find out what the issue was.

"You know I really can't afford to be doing this all night," Ichigo said, attempting to hide his concern and at least try to look annoyed by Grimmjow's presence.

Grimmjow sighed and shifted to push something into his back pocket before standing up. "Well you're off the hook then 'cause I have to go."

Ichigo frowned. He hadn't been expecting that response. "How come?" Recognizing the look on Grimmjow's face, he didn't think he'd get a real answer, but he tried anyway.

"Nnoitra needs something," Grimmjow muttered. The blunet pulled out some cash to pay for his drinks and turned to Ichigo, studying the adorable scowl on his face. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Can't you meet up with me later?" Ichigo was pulled into a quick hug before Grimmjow drifted toward the door.

"Probably not. I'll call you."

Ichigo stood there, watching Grimmjow step outside and then disappear. He hadn't realized how distracting his boyfriend's departure had been until Kisuke wandered up behind him and tapped his shoulder.

"Why don't you take the rest of the night off?" Kisuke said softly, his face brightening with a smile when Ichigo turned around. "Hardly anyone is here anyway. I'm just waiting on those regulars over there to clear out then I'll be shutting the place up."

Ichigo's brow dipped and he glanced at the table near the back. A few men sat in the booth with a girl that looked much too young to be in a bar. She also looked strangely similar to-

"Go on, no need to waste your evening doing nothing," Kisuke untied Ichigo's apron and stole it before he could comment, then pushed the tangerine out the door. "Take advantage of all of that youth!" he called when Ichigo finally kicked into action and started walking toward his car.

Ichigo sighed and shoved his hands in his pockets. What was he supposed to do for the rest of the night?

Deciding to be bold and try something out before he lost the nerve, Ichigo pulled out his phone and dialed the only number he knew by heart.

* * *

><p>"Enjoying yourselves?" Kisuke asked, gathering some dirty glasses onto a tray while peering over at the only booth with customers left in it. The three men turned and smiled at him, offering their thanks for staying open for them. The little girl at the table merely grunted and brought a foot up to rest right on the table top. Kisuke winced, but thought better of correcting it. He knew she would have her way, whatever it took.<p>

"Well then," Kisuke emptied the tray into a sink and wandered toward the lift to take it down. "Take your time, I'll be here for another hour or so," He stepped into the elevator and waved as the doors slid shut.

Shunsui turned back to the table when Kisuke was gone and resumed the conversation they'd been having. "As I was saying, I knew that blue guy was familiar."

Jushiro frowned over the tissue he held to his mouth, wiping away some of the refuse from his most recent coughing fit. "Is it not a bad thing that we recognize him? If he belongs to that organization.."

"We aren't sure of that yet," Kensei spoke up. He lured a bottle of sake closer and poured himself a cup. "We don't know his intentions at this point or if he's even on a job. It certainly doesn't seem like it. Anyway, the best we can do is wait, see what's going on before making a move."

"Mmm," Shunsui took a sip from his own cup and nodded. "Indeed, I believe that is the right thing to do."

"No!" came a sudden outburst from the small girl next to Kensei. She removed a sandal, an action that made everyone visibly wince, and climbed up on the table top in front of Shunsui, smacking the footwear firmly across his cheek. "You're just saying that because you're a lazy bastard!" she hollered. "Shinji could get hurt, and if he does I'm blaming YOU!" The young girl, Hiyori, hopped off the table and stormed off without another word, blowing through the door with a loud clatter of bells.

"What do you suppose that was about?" Kensei asked, regarding Shunsui with wide eyes.

Jushiro pulled an ice cube out of his drink to wrap it in a napkin and handed it to Shunsui for the bruise already forming on his face. "I'd imagine those guys you're suspicious about are involved with her cousin."

"That would explain it," Shunsui said, rubbing the covered ice cube over his cheek. "Well, should we look into it then?"

Kensei groaned and stretched back in his seat, extending his legs until his feet hit the seat across from him. "I still think we should wait a little longer. There's no sense in getting involved before we have to."

"Agreed."

* * *

><p>Pissed and distracted by the fact that his time with Ichigo had been interrupted, Grimmjow loaded into his car and pulled away from the bar, blasting his music and racing down the street. If it wasn't enough that Sosuke had to give him a deadline for the job, the guy had people constantly calling and reminding him about it.<p>

Sosuke had insisted on calling daily meetings to 'checkup' on his progress. The only good thing that would come out of this particular trip was that Ilforte was supposed to meet Grimmjow afterward with some information. Grimmjow smirked a little, but stamped it back down, extinguishing his hope with the harsh reminder to himself that it was unlikely that Ilforte found anything at all. He pulled onto the side of the road to park in front of the old run down hotel then stomped inside, breezing through the doors and making for Sosuke's office. This time, Ulquiorra wasn't there to size him up, and Grimmjow breathed a sigh of relief. The pale fourth rank always made him anxious. Not because he was afraid but because the guy was just… suspicious.

"Ah, Grimmjow. What have you got for me today?" Sosuke sat at his desk, hair slicked back with a single lock straying from the rest. Grimmjow put on a smirk and lounged on the couch, throwing his arms back and attempting to look confident rather than worried about the fact that he had nothing to report.

* * *

><p>"Ichi? Aren't you still on shift?" Shinji's voice asked through the phone, clearly concerned for Ichigo's strange tone.<p>

"No. Kisuke let me off early. I was kind of hoping you could get out too," Ichigo said, making a turn in his car and locking eyes on the familiar black Maserati further down the road.

"Oh, this sounds fun. What did you have in mind?" Shinji asked.

Ichigo frowned at the shady building he'd parked down the street from and tried to calm the rapid pounding of his heart. "I kind of followed Grimmjow when he left earlier, …and now I'm sitting outside this building he went into."

"Text me directions, I'll be right there," Shinji hung up without another word and raced to the office near the back of the club he worked in. Various people called out to him and he offered polite smiles while moving away. When the blond reached the enclosed space, he knocked on the door then stepped right in, eyeing the man sitting on a wide, padded chair with a couple of girls piled in his lap, fawning over him while he looked to be rather uninterested. In fact, the man looked to be studying them rather them enjoying their company. "Mister Kurotsuchi, sir?"

"What is it now, Shinji?" Shinji's boss sighed, tilting his head forward to peer at the blond in his office doorway.

"Hey, you know how I took that extra shift for Kira the other day?" Shinji held his breath for a moment, waiting for the response.

"Oh, just go already," The blue haired man twirled a finger in the air while he pointed toward the door. "I expect you to be back here on time tomorrow."

Shinji nodded happily and turned to leave.

"On TIME!" the man shouted after him, but Shinji didn't miss a beat. He jogged through the club again, apologizing to the customer he'd been sitting with before he got Ichigo's call. Then he left the building in a rush, pulling out his phone to find directions to the address Ichigo had given him.

Not thirty minutes later, Shinji was pulling up to a shaded street without even a single lamp light to brighten the gloom. He spotted Ichigo's truck and pulled up behind it, parking his car on the side of the street and creeping out to the passenger side of Ichigo's vehicle. He heard the click for the lock coming undone and hurried inside, scooting closer to the driver's seat and grabbing Ichigo's arm. "So what's going on? Which building is it?"

Ichigo pointed toward the old hotel down the street and turned to his friend. "It's been almost an hour now and they haven't left." He paused, face falling as he considered his next words. "Shinji, I saw Nnoitra and Shiro go in there too…and these other guys I didn't recognize."

"What do you think is going on?" Shinji leaned forward, as if it would help him see inside the building, and narrowed his eyes.

"I don't know, but I'm afraid that if we get any closer, they might see us."

"It's not like they have x-ray vision, Ichi. I bet we could get right up in those bushes without anyone noticing," Shinji pointed vaguely to the area he spoke about.

"What good would that do us? We aren't freaking ninja's! What if they have guns or something? We could get shot!"

Shinji tossed an accusing glare at Ichigo, worry all over his face. "Why would they have guns?"

"Oh..uh," Ichigo's eyes fell to his lap. "I forgot to tell you… the other day I found Grimmjow with one tucked into the back of his jeans," When Shinji gasped, Ichigo put up a hand. "It wasn't a big deal though! He said it was just for protection or something…I mean, he wouldn't really talk about it and now that I think of it, I didn't get a real explanation but.."

"Ichigo, what do you mean it isn't a big deal? If he's carrying a weapon around, it's for a reason! And now they're all in that strange building with fucking _guns_."

"Okay," Ichigo took a deep breath. "We need to just calm down and think rationally here. Maybe they're like secret agents or something and can't tell us?"

"This isn't a Jason Bourne movie!" Shinji squealed.

Ichigo slapped a hand over his friends mouth. "Chill. Out. You're not helping the situation by being a spaz."

Shinji nodded and Ichigo slowly pulled his hand away. Ichigo waited to be sure Shinji wouldn't start up again, then looked back toward the hotel. "I didn't really have a plan when I called you but I think this warrants some questions next time we talk to them."

"God, Ichi. How do you even talk to him comfortably knowing he could shoot you whenever he wants?"

"He's not a freaking psychopath just because he has a gun," Ichigo rolled his eyes like it was commonplace for his friends to have weapons. "Lots of people carry them around, and maybe it has nothing to do with this at all."

"Or maybe it has _everything_ to do with it," Shinji said. "Didn't you say he had some weird number tattoo on his back? And all of them lied about their jobs…Now this? Ichigo, something is going on here and we have to figure it out because I don't think they're just going to tell us."

Ichigo sighed and closed his eyes. He knew Shinji was right and he _hated_ when that happened. He still had no idea what to do and thought for a moment while Shinji was strangely silent. Ichigo's eyes snapped open when he heard the passenger door open. He looked over to see Shinji creeping out of the truck and shutting the door.

Ichigo's eyes bulged open and he tried to reach out and grab Shinji but the door shut before he could. Panicking, Ichigo opened his own door and shoved the car keys in his pocket before racing after Shinji who was slinking down the street, hopping from shadow to shadow like some sort of stupid assassin. When he caught up to the blond, Ichigo grabbed his arm and whispered to him heatedly. "This is the dumbest idea you've ever had and that's saying a lot, Shinji."

Shinji frowned at him and raised a finger to his mouth, signaling Ichigo to be quiet. Then he dragged the tangerine down the street further until they crouched behind a tall hedge beside the buildings entrance, knees to dirt and head ducked behind the leaves.

"What if they come out and shoot us?" Ichigo wondered in a soft whine. Shinji turned and grabbed either of his hands, squeezing them tightly. Then the blond looked back over toward the entrance of the hotel. Just when Ichigo was about to make a break for it back to his car, light poured from the building through an opened door and Ichigo couldn't help the tiny whimper that forced its way up from the back of his throat.

A moment later, a midnight blue car pulled up on the street with its headlights turned off. It sat idly while a couple of dark figures spilled out of the entrance to the old hotel.

Ichigo gripped Shinji's hands so tight, the blond thought he might break bones, but he kept himself in check knowing that if he made a noise, they'd be screwed.

Ichigo recognized a few of the people coming from the building and lifted himself onto his knees to peer through the gaps in the bush. He saw Grimmjow, Nnoitra and Shiro all walking side by side, and next to them was another man with tight jeans and a fur lined belt. People were getting out of the blue car on the street, now, and Ichigo ducked when they looked around, eyes scanning the area he and Shinji were hiding in.

Shinji slowly eased his hands out of Ichigo's, then pulled the tangerine close, both of them grabbing each other's shirts nervously. They watched various people wander off toward their own cars, most of them disappearing in minutes. Grimmjow, Shiro, Nnoitra and the fur belt guy came to a stop at the newly arrived vehicle and spoke with the two guys that had come out of it. Ichigo could barely make out one with long blonde hair and another with bright pink locks pulled into a pony tail. He squinted to see their faces, but knew he wouldn't recognize them anyway. One of them was talking and Ichigo strained to hear the words, holding his breath. Shinji did the same.

"Fuckin' bullshit that we all have to come out here for this jackass,"

The voice was Nnoitra, and Shinji nearly raised his head above the hedge in attempt to hear him clearly. Ichigo grabbed his arm and yanked him back down, shaking his head. Then Ichigo pointed toward the edge of the line of bushes that extended closer to where the men spoke. Shinji nodded and the two crawled on hand and knee toward the spot, going slowly so as not to make much noise. As they came to the area, Ichigo heard the voices getting louder and paused, holding a hand for Shinji to stop while they both listened.

They heard footsteps and Shinji peeked out to see Nnoitra and Shiro splitting from the group, walking toward their own cars. Grimmjow and Furry Belt, otherwise known as Starrk, stayed behind, still talking with the blond and pink haired man.

"Tell him what you found already, Ilforte. I might fall asleep standing up," Starrk pushed a hand through his hair and wavered on his feet as if to prove he may actually do what he said.

"I'm getting to that." Ilforte chided with a soft chuckle. He turned to Grimmjow and handed him a few folded sheets of paper. "Sorry I couldn't get this to you before your meeting. I'm sure Sosuke made it a living hell if you hadn't found anything yet."

"Which I haven't," Grimmjow grumbled. "So does this mean there was something to find?"

Ilforte brought a finger to his lips, chewing the nail for a moment before shaking his head. "Honestly, I'm not sure. You were right about there being something weird. I put it all down in there if you want to look it over later. The gist of it is that there's some funky paper trails going on with that Benihime's place. Also, I think that Kurosaki kid may be involved after all. At least I think his father is. There's some interesting exchanges going on, but it's all in there. I'm sure you'll figure it out."

Grimmjow frowned, but nodded his thanks to Ilforte. Ilforte shrugged, explaining it was his job before walking around to get back in his car.

Convinced that everything was settled, Starrk wandered off to his own ride without much more than a goodbye.

The pink haired man, Szayel, lingered for a moment, batting his eyes at Grimmjow as Ilforte started the car. "So it was a lie after all? I knew that kid didn't stand a chance with you," Szayel wandered closer, trailing a finger down the blunet's chest. "You know, I take it back. What I said about not wanting someone inexperienced. I bet I could teach you all sorts of wonderful things. I've got plenty of _educational_ items I could show you to help you along.."

Ichigo's fingers clenched in Shinji's shirt and he nearly tore out of the bushes to attack the pink headed jerk. But Shinji held him still, clapping a hand over his mouth to keep him from shouting.

Grimmjow stepped back away from Szayel, watching the thin hand drop to Szayel's side. "Thanks, but no thanks," The blunet turned toward his car, further folding the papers in his hands and tucking them in his pocket. He had some things to think about now, but one thing was for sure; he didn't feel relieved at all now that he had a lead to go on with this job. Finding out that Ichigo had something to do with it wasn't what he wanted at all, and now he was even more stuck, annoyed and confused.

Ichigo still struggled with Shinji as the blue car drove away with the blond and pink haired guys in it. Ichigo wanted to scream and shout or run after Grimmjow, but Shinji knew it wouldn't be a good idea, even if it seemed like everyone but Grimmjow had gone.

"Ichi, calm down," Shinji whispered. "I have an idea."

Ichigo scowled and sat up, brushing the dirt from his pants. Shinji dipped a hand in Ichigo's pocket and took out his phone.

"Call Grimmjow and ask where he is. See if he'll come over or something."

"What? Why? I'm obviously not home and after that I don't know if I even want to see him!" Ichigo rubbed a dirty hand across his face and growled. "Why would he be getting information about Benihime's or my family? What is he trying to find? And why did that guy say our relationship was a.. a lie." Ichigo could feel the tears welling up, but swallowed them down, squeezing his eyes shut to keep them from falling free. "Does that mean he doesn't even care?"

"We don't know that yet," Shinji pushed the phone into Ichigo's hand to urge him on. "Just call him and maybe you can catch him in the lie."

"What does it matter?" Ichigo whined, but he held the phone to his ear anyway and sent the call. It ringed once and then twice and Ichigo heard the tone from across the way as Grimmjow reached his car. Ichigo peered through the bushes and frowned when Grimmjow opened the car door but still didn't answer. Then the familiar, rough voice of his boyfriend poured through the receiver and Ichigo jumped, thinking for a moment that someone was whispering in his ear. "Grim…Grimmjow?"

"How many times do I have to tell you? I'll always be the one to answer my phone," Grimmjow laughed, and for a moment, Ichigo wondered if he could just forget everything he'd just witnessed. If only he could go back and never have to know what was going on, never have to add to the questions he already had. Could he live with that? Ichigo swallowed and Shinji motioned to him to get on with it.

"Go on," The blond whispered, rubbing a hand over Ichigo's arm soothingly.

"So um," Ichigo cleared his throat. "Did you still have that thing going on with Nnoitra?"

Back by his car, Grimmjow furrowed his brow and almost asked what Ichigo meant before he remembered his lie earlier. He didn't want to mention work in front of Ichigo and then have to deal with all of the questions that might come afterward. _Technically_, he did see Nnoitra. "Kinda. What's going on? You miss me already?" Grimmjow smirked and leaned back against his car, unknowingly being watched by two pairs of dark eyes from a bush across the street behind him.

Ichigo covered the phone with a hand and took a deep breath. He hated lying to Grimmjow, but the fact that the blunet had been doing the same to him did help a little with the guilt. "I was wondering if you could come over. I thought maybe you could…" The tangerine hesitated and Shinji nodded at him. "You could show me what you learned the other night. You know, when you and I.."

Grimmjow's voice rumbled back through the phone and Ichigo felt heat sinking from his face down below the belt. _Oh god, I can __**not **__get turned on by this asshole right now. _He straightened his face, avoiding Shinji's eyes while he waited for Grimmjow to answer with more than a purr. "Where are you at? I can meet you somewhere if you want," Ichigo pressed, not entirely sure what reply he was hoping for.

"Mm, I'm still out," Grimmjow said "But if you can't wait, why don't you tell me what you're thinking while I come over to your place."

Ichigo stood slowly and Shinji stared up at him wide eyed, wondering what he was up to.

"Actually, I was thinking I could come to you," Ichigo said, moving out of the hedge and down the street toward Grimmjow's parked car. "You see, I just can't wait to see you," he whispered. Ichigo's feet carried him faster until he rounded the black Maserati.

Grimmjow turned upon hearing footsteps and gaped. The phone nearly fell from his loose grip.

"Ichigo?"

* * *

><p><strong><span>AN:**

Oh. Stuff actually happened.


	10. Pride

**Chapter Ten: Pride.**

**OR**

**Ally? A lie?**

* * *

><p>For the second time since Grimmjow had known Ichigo, his face had gone pale and his stomach was in his throat. He felt caught, again, and this time, he didn't think he was mistaken. Ichigo had definitely figured something out and Grimmjow couldn't have felt like more an idiot.<p>

Instead of the tempting look Ichigo should have had on his face to accompany the lusty voice he'd just been using through the phone, Grimmjow saw nothing but anger and confusion spilling from every pore in Ichigo's body. Ichigo's honey colored eyes had darkened to black, narrowed with suspicion, and the haste in the kids stride was clearly driven by need for answers. Grimmjow shook himself to get a hold of his reeling mind and approached Ichigo with a cautious hand held out to touch him, to ease the hurt he saw in his wounded expression. Grimmjow wasn't sure what to say. There was nothing he _could_ say. It was infuriating.

Ichigo backed away from the extended arm and looked to the ground, determined not to lose his resolve now that he'd made it across the street. Grimmjow was unsurprisingly shocked, but it had been harder than Ichigo thought it would be to sort out the right words. Even when stunned, Grimmjow had that rigid appeal that made Ichigo want to fall into his arms and pretend nothing had happened, that he hadn't seen anything. But life wasn't so easy and neither was their situation. Ichigo dragged his eyes up from the ground and leveled Grimmjow with a stare. It was hard not to yell as he ground out the question burning on his tongue. "Why?"

Just the one word snuffed out any hope Grimmjow had of Ichigo still not knowing. It was all he needed to ask, just the simple three letter word had been the beginning of an end he was sure would come. His heart sank into his stomach, and as a first, it was hard for Grimmjow to meet another person's eyes. Ichigo's hair had fallen over most of his face, but one questioning eye could still be seen over red cheeks. Grimmjow opened his mouth, starting and failing a dozen thoughts, but they all fell short on what he meant to say. Giving up, Grimmjow growled and looked away.

Ichigo couldn't take it. The not knowing, the silence and waiting for what felt like an eternity for an answer. But after a minute, it occurred to him that it may never come. Even now, Grimmjow insisted on keeping his secrets. _Well, he wasn't having any of that._ Ichigo stepped forward, and in a movement he hadn't entirely expected, he shoved Grimmjow against the car with both hands gripping his biceps.

"Tell me," Ichigo demanded, trying desperately to keep his emotions at bay with his chest so tight it was hard to breathe. If it wasn't enough that Grimmjow was lying to him, it had to be about why they were together to begin with? Ichigo didn't fully understand the situation, but he was smart enough to realize that if Grimmjow was getting information about those closest to him, their relationship was built on a lie. It was especially clear after that pink haired guy had called it _fake_. "Just say it, Grimmjow."

Ichigo's voice was muted, hardly there, but Grimmjow felt every word weighing upon him like steel chains. He reached up to take Ichigo's hands, scrambling to figure out how to solve all of this, but there was only so much he could do. Grimmjow couldn't tell Ichigo about his job; he didn't have the freedom to explain. He'd be fired. Worse than that, he could be killed, and Ichigo may suffer the same fate if Grimmjow didn't convince him to take it easy. But the time was long past for that. Ichigo already knew something, and judging by the way he demanded an answer, Grimmjow figured his exchange with Ilforte wasn't as private as he thought. Had Ichigo been any less enraged, he might have suggested they take the conversation elsewhere. Just outside Sosuke's office was the absolute worst spot he could think of. But something about Ichigo's stance suggested he was better off accepting the risk.

"Look, Ichigo, it doesn't really matter-" Grimmjow said, and attempted to sooth Ichigo with the soft gesture of touching the hands on his arms.

Ichigo wrenched himself away from the touch. "Don't!" His voice was low, wounded. "Don't you think you've lied to me enough?" He looked up, finally gathering the courage to see the guilty look on Grimmjow's face, but it _wasn't_ guilty. Grimmjow's lips were downturned in a scowl. His nose wrinkled and eyes narrowed, thin blue brows pressing down hard as he drew in a deep breath. Grimmjow looked more annoyed than anything. What right did _he_ have to be annoyed? Deep down, Ichigo hoped it was just a defense. It was likely just as hard for Grimmjow to show true emotion as it was for him. Not that he was making excuses for the man. There was no excuse, not for something like this.

Ichigo felt the anger coming to a head, all of his built up emotion from giving blindly to Grimmjow without taking anything in return. From trying to ignore all the questions he had, to push down the doubt and run from the fact that Grimmjow was most definitely hiding something. Ichigo had even ignored the warnings from one of his best friends just to believe in this asshole? All of that had led to this and Ichigo wasn't sure what to do about it. All he knew was that that stupid look on Grimmjow's face was pissing him off. "All you can do is look at me like I'm wasting your time?"

"You aren't even making sense," Grimmjow replied, snorting when Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Why, _what_? Tell you _what_?"

"Uh, how about starting with who those guys are?" Ichigo motioned to the street where the cars had been. "Why are you trying to get information about people close to me? What is your _real_ job, Grimmjow?" Only those few questions came out before Ichigo paused with the most pressing one on his mind. "Did you ever care about me or am I just the fucking idiot that went along with your 'I'm not into guys, but I like you' spiel?"

Grimmjow growled and shifted on his feet. "You are an idiot if that's what you think."

"I don't know what to think! You never tell me anything, I barely know you at all!"

"Following me around isn't going to help me trust you!" Grimmjow blurted, regretting the wince it drew from Ichigo.

"Oh, so I should have just let you lie to me and carry on like nothing's wrong?" Ichigo shoved his hands in his pockets to keep them from flying in Grimmjow's face. The man was being ridiculous! Even idiots knew to give in when they were caught.

"That's exactly what you should have done," Grimmjow remarked, still leaning heavily on a sarcastic tone. If Ichigo was going to grill him, he wasn't about to lie down and let that happen. He may not have been in the right in this situation, but he would have figured that Ichigo would have trusted him enough not to go following him to work. Just standing so close to the building with Ichigo near him had alarm bells blaring in his head.

Ichigo cursed under his breath and shook his head. "Am I just some sort of game to you, or what? You just thought you'd play with the gay kid, maybe get some kicks out of it? Is that what this was?"

"I already told you, you're fucking stupid if you think that's the case," Sure, Grimmjow had fucked up, but did Ichigo have to go that far?

Ichigo threw up his hands and couldn't help but laugh. "Well then I guess I'm fucking stupid, Grimmjow. Is that what you wanted to hear? I have to be if I really believed I'd get any straight answers out of you."

Grimmjow snarled and reached out for Ichigo, grabbing the collar of his shirt and yanking him close. "Are you trying to tell me that you think the first kiss we had was fake?" After hearing his voice echo around the empty street, Grimmjow pulled Ichigo closer and spoke softly. "What about the time I spent with you and your family? Or during your friend's birthday out on that island?" He paused, steadying his voice, "And how about that night at my house? Huh? Do you really think I could act for all of that?"

Ichigo wanted to speak but the words stuck in his throat, not a sound coming out but for a hoarse whisper. Grimmjow's grip on his shirt tightened and nothing but sincerity shone in the beautiful blue of his eyes. Angry, accelerated breaths blew across Ichigo's face and he turned away, hiding the confusion in his eyes. "I don't know," he said silently. Nothing made sense anymore. It was obvious that something was going on, but Grimmjow had looked so _hurt_.

Grimmjow shoved him away an Ichigo nearly lost his balance from the sudden push.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Ichigo yelled, straightening his shirt with a sharp yank.

Across the street, Shinji rose on his knees; ready to run over and intervene if it looked like Grimmjow would hurt Ichigo. But the blunet backed off and walked in a short path back and forth in front of his car. Shinji relaxed for a moment and sat back on his feet, frowning. It was hard to watch his friend's heart break from afar, and wasn't all that pleasant to realize he'd be having a similar conversation with someone else soon enough. Shinji was tempted to call Nnoitra and get him out there too for a nice, four way screaming match, but he had a bad feeling about bringing two violent men together with himself and a very emotional Ichigo. So Shinji waited and watched quietly, prepared to run across the street if his friend needed help.

"This wasn't how everything was supposed to go," Grimmjow said, still walking back and forth and tugging on the edges of his jacket, fingers clenching into the fabric. He _knew_ following Nnoitra's suggestion of getting close to Ichigo was a bad idea. If he had just stuck with his own plan, he'd never be in this predicament. He wouldn't have had to keep Ichigo waiting for an explanation with that broken, confused sag to his frame. "You shouldn't have come here," Grimmjow said, pacing faster and working his jaw. "None of this should have happened."

"Are you actually trying to blame this on me?" Ichigo snapped. Maybe he shouldn't have followed Grimmjow or come here, or even gotten out of his car, but that didn't change the reality of the situation. Ichigo's sweaty hands balled into fists and his lips pressed together, fixing Grimmjow with the glare he hoped would eventually be returned. Even if it was that same annoyed look Grimmjow had. Why wouldn't he just _look_ at him? Why wouldn't he come clean?

"I don't understand what's so secret that none of you can tell me." Predictably, there was no forthcoming answer. Ichigo crossed his arms and closed his eyes. How was it that a perfectly normal day had turned out to be such a mess? What in the hell had provoked him to actually follow a person to get answers? Hadn't he always been straightforward? But it couldn't have been his fault. Grimmjow wouldn't have told him anything even if he pushed. Ichigo was sick of that, sick of being left out in the dark. He need to know, and he needed Grimmjow to know he could be honest. Ichigo gave himself another moment to think, but came to the same conclusion. Lame or not, he was going to have to ask

"Are you…some kind of agent or something?"

More silence.

"I won't tell anyone if you are.." Ichigo's voice wavered as Grimmjow paused from his pacing and turned away. "Not even Shinji or Tensa. Nobody!" Ichigo started when tires screeched from somewhere near the end of the street. He squinted toward the direction of the sound, but couldn't see anything and blinked before returning his gaze to the blunet. "Grimmjow, please! Just tell me."

"You don't seem to understand that I _can't_ tell you." Grimmjow's voice was lower now, seething. He wondered why Ichigo couldn't just shut up already. It wasn't like he could answer any of this shit, so why'd he keep asking?

"No, I don't understand and I'm not okay with you keeping secrets," Ichigo said, and Grimmjow rolled his eyes. "If your two friends weren't involved in this too I'd think there was something else going on."

Grimmjow turned around suddenly, pinning Ichigo with a look that made him shiver. "Something like what?"

"You can't figure it out?" Ichigo struggled to control the urge to step back. Grimmjow could be fucking scary when he wanted to. "You suddenly disappear at random times. You make strange excuses and never tell me what you really do for work. You can't possibly think of any ideas I might have had for what you'd be up to?" Ichigo was doing the pacing now. It kept his feet busy and hid the way he was shaking.

"Not to mention you carry a gun around half the time, you've got this freaking weird tattoo that you won't explain. You and your friends _claim_ you work together and know each other through this mysterious job that you all have different titles for. And yet here you all are coming out of this crappy, rundown building!" Ichigo stopped walking for a moment and tilted his head. "How exactly do a car salesman and a broker work together, Grimmjow?"

"Package deals?"

Ichigo let out an exaggerated sigh. "Would you just be _serious_ for once?"

"I am serious," Grimmjow insisted. "I can't tell you and it's none of your business, so stay out of it."

"Stay out of it?" Ichigo asked, receiving silence once more. Big surprise. "I know we've only been dating for a while, but how is this ever going to work if we don't establish some sort of trust? You never say anything about yourself. I hardly know you at all and yet you've already met my family, gotten close with my friends. You've even been to where I work and seen me at a shoot." Ichigo tried not to think about how idiotic he'd been. Talk about being all too accommodating to a man that was apparently trying to get information about his life.

Ichigo crossed and then uncrossed his arms restlessly. "If you can't tell me where you work or what this is all about then at least tell me some things about yourself. Include me in this other part of you that you've been withholding from me. I want to know and trust you Grimmjow but you're not making it easy."

Grimmjow still wouldn't look at him. Meeting that piercing gaze was trouble, and Grimmjow wasn't sure he'd survive under such an honest, pleading look for more than a moment. "If you can't deal with what I'm giving then I don't know what to tell you, kid. This is who I am."

"It's half of who you are and that's the problem!" Ichigo shouted.

"Well maybe I can only afford half, did you think of that?"

Grimmjow's raised voice cut through the space between them and hit Ichigo like an electric shock. It took a moment of gathering himself, but rather than screaming back, Ichigo responded with a relatively normal sound level. "Yeah, I did think of that. I've thought of it every single day since we met. In fact, it's all I can think about," Ichigo shook his head and Grimmjow blinked back at him, confused. "_You _are all I think about… and when you hide away behind all of these walls while I give more and more of myself, I have to wonder if I'll _ever_ reach you." Silence stretched again and Ichigo waited, clenching his fists.

Grimmjow continued to look away, wishing he could just be honest, but knowing he couldn't. He hated it. Hated the fact that he had to let Ichigo believe he was a liar. He was, wasn't he? It wasn't like he had the best intentions when they met, but his feelings for Ichigo had always been real. Every step of the way.

"Maybe I was stupid to think a straight guy would date me, or maybe I'm just not your type," Ichigo said, and paused to take a breath. "I thought that you just needed time, and maybe I should have given you more space. I thought that if I waited long enough, you could give something back, but now I don't know," He ran a hand through his hair, feeling the constriction in his throat while his eyes started to ache, still begging to spill the tears he denied. "Apparently, I don't know anything," he whispered.

"You're being dramatic."

"That's all you have to say to me?" Ichigo cleared his throat. His words had been more of a whine than anything. It felt like he was losing something he wasn't even sure he had to begin with. What bothered him the most was that even without clear definition, he knew that it would have been great. If only Grimmjow had been willing to put forth the same effort.

"What do you want?" Grimmjow asked, throwing an arm out carelessly. "A breakdown of my life and everything that's ever mattered to me?" He laughed, wouldn't that be interesting, seeing Ichigo react to all the things he'd done. "Well, Ichigo, I can't give you that. But you know what I did give you?" Blue eyes finally met scared brown, and Grimmjow fought to keep his face clear of emotion. "I _gave_ you myself, whatever I could afford. I gave you the sort of thing I don't normally just give away… like my feelings," Grimmjow swallowed and nearly rolled his eyes, wishing that all of his years of training and the perfection of his eloquence for times like these would actually amount to something. He continued, despite his obvious failure with words. "I took you places I've never shared with anyone else and allowed you in my home, my fucking sanctuary. I risked my career and my friends, everything I have right now for your sorry ass. But all of that isn't enough for you, is it? You just can't leave things alone. More, more, more. All you think about is yourself and your stupid suspicions!" Grimmjow stopped again and turned to his car, bracing his hands on the side and closing his eyes. He hadn't meant to say all of that, but it felt good to get it out. It was probably the most honest thing he'd ever said. Somehow, that was incredibly sad.

"Is that really how you feel?" Ichigo's voice was choked again and it made Grimmjow sick to know it was his fault. "You think I'm only concerned about myself?"

Grimmjow shook his head, willing himself to turn around and say no, but that wasn't what came out. "Seems that way," he said, true to his commitment to the job. The stupid fucking job that brought him nothing but pain.

Grimmjow knew this was the only way out. It was for the best if they parted ways now. If he and Ichigo broke up this way then the kid would just think he was an asshole not worth the trouble. He would never have to truly know about Grimmjow's job, all the lies he's told and people he's deceived. Most of all, Grimmjow wouldn't have to suddenly abandon Ichigo when the job was done. Grimmjow figured he could shoulder that burden, even if it meant his job would become ten times harder without direct contact with Ichigo.

Grimmjow's heart clenched at the thought. It felt like something cinching tighter around it with every pained look Ichigo gave him, constricting until he didn't think he could bear it. He had to do this for Ichigo. He told himself that over and over until it started to sink in.

"Why are you doing this?" Ichigo asked again, "Are you having doubts about us? Is this.. because I'm a guy?"

A guy? A fucking guy? Grimmjow almost laughed. No, it hadn't ever been about that. Had it seemed that way? Grimmjow felt his heart drop. It must have if Ichigo thought so. Just like that, Grimmjow knew what he had to do. It was the perfect opportunity and though he knew it was cheap, it had to be done. His schooled his expression and gave a lazy shrug. "I'm just not interested anymore, that's all," The words felt like lead on his tongue, but he'd said them nonetheless. Grimmjow spared a glance to see Ichigo's face and instantly regretted it.

Crying had always been an annoying emotion to Grimmjow, just a weakness he wished he never had to put up with. But when he saw Ichigo's puffy eyes gleaming up at him, he felt different. He wanted it to stop, always wanted the tears to stop, but this time for a different reason. He didn't want Ichigo to hurt, not like this, not ever. It was even worse because Ichigo was obviously trying so hard not to show how he felt, how much those words had torn him apart.

Ichigo's fingers paled from balling his hands too tight and he marched the two steps it took to reach Grimmjow. On the way, he noticed a change in Grimmjow's expression as he came closer. The blunet looked shocked by his own words and even a little sad.

_Well it's too fucking late, _Ichigo said to himself,_ You can't take it back now._ Ichigo's arm flew out before he could stop it and his fisted hand slammed into Grimmjow's cheek, snapping his head to the side with the impact.

Before Grimmjow could say a thing, Ichigo turned as fast as he could and retreated to his car. Tears finally broke free from his eyes and streaked down his face, dripping from his chin. He bit his lip to stop the gasping breaths and wiped a hand across his face, cursing at himself for being so weak. He didn't need this, didn't need anyone to love, not if this was always going to be the result. Ichigo made to cross the street and did his best to cover the sobs with unsteady, whispered insults. He had to get away. Just, out of this place and out of Grimmjow's life.

Grimmjow watched Ichigo march off and lifted a hand to his face. He winced at the sting and gathered the blood pooling from a cut in his mouth to spit off to the side. _Kid has a nice right hook,_ Grimmjow thought as he stood, rubbing the throbbing bruise forming on his face. Somehow, that thought made the situation all the more unjust.

Ichigo was so much more than a job to Grimmjow. The tangerine had opened up a whole new side of him that could have easily gone unexplored for the rest of his life. It wasn't just the gay stuff either. Whether or not Grimmjow liked it, he was softer with Ichigo. He could be his rough self and that would be accepted, but he found that when around the kid his head sometimes felt fuzzy. Like lesser known parts of himself were coming alive, and his feelings grew despite his half-hearted fighting against it.

Grimmjow was sure he'd been in love before. Hell, he'd been married, but this was a whole other experience. Ichigo complimented him in ways he didn't think were possible. He had been ready for the changes and challenges he'd have to accept, but now all of that was moot. Ichigo knew the real him and thanks to that, Grimmjow was back out in the cold with just his job and money. Minus the pride.

What was he doing, anyway? Grimmjow told himself at the start that this job would just be temporary and that he wouldn't truly harm anyone. Then he'd adapted so easily though and was deemed a natural at pretending. Figures, all those fake smiles for his ex-wife had come in handy after all. But if all it got him was just another broken heart, well, that was just pathetic, wasn't it? Trading one life for another.

Grimmjow knew he blew it, blew the entire job and he didn't even care anymore. All he cared about was that stupid orange haired kid. He had to fix this and fight for Ichigo. Even if it meant giving up his life as he knew it to win him back. He had to _try_ at the very least. For once in his life, try at something that didn't involve money. It hadn't even occurred to him to try with his ex, but Ichigo, Ichigo was just different.

Grimmjow took a step forward, then urged himself onward, jogging across the street to catch up. As he drew close, he reached out and grabbed Ichigo's sleeve to turn him around. "Where do you think you're going?" he questioned, hoping that Ichigo had been reluctant to leave in the first place.

Ichigo's face was full of alarm as he was turned and he nearly yelped when he was pulled against Grimmjow's chest. It was _so_ hard, not letting himself melt into the embrace. As much as he wanted it, there was no way he could accept it that easily. "Isn't it obvious?" Ichigo pushed Grimmjow away and wiped his face. "Away from you."

"Just because I-"

"Just because you what, Grimmjow? Because you'll never really be honest with me, or because I'm not enough for you?"

"I ne-"

"No, you've had your chance to explain. I don't really want to be in a relationship where I have to convince both of us that I'm worth the trouble. I need someone that I can trust," Ichigo's lips quivered and he put a great amount of effort into adding a final tone to his next words. "I don't need someone like you in my life."

Ichigo turned back around and when he got to the truck, Shinji was waiting on the driver's side, hand held out to take the keys. Shinji would worry about his own car later, Ichigo needed him now. Ichigo leaned against the window and buried his face in the crook of his arm, covering his eyes as Shinji drove them away.

Grimmjow watched the tail lights disappear as the truck pulled around the corner and he let out a long, heavy sigh. He'd tried, but it wasn't enough. He should have known it wouldn't be. Hugging Ichigo to his chest couldn't solve everything, even as much as he wanted it to.

Grimmjow stood there for a long time, staring blankly at the empty street and blinking away the wetness in his eyes. He shook his head when he got fed up with it and sat in his car, slamming the door shut behind him and pulling out his phone. He wanted to call Ichigo, tell him to come back, but it just wasn't in his nature, and he knew it was best to leave the tangerine be.

Grimmjow stared at Ichigo's dumb face in the picture he'd taken when they first met, smiling faintly before growling and crushing the phone in his hand. He tossed it in the back of the car and heard pieces of it scatter to the floor. Grimmjow started the engine up, revving it before speeding away from the old hotel. Unbeknownst to him, a pair of almond eyes watched him from the darkness of the hotel entrance as he left.

* * *

><p>Tensa happily answered his ringing phone and settled into bed, waiting to hear Shiro's voice. What he'd expected was his boyfriend's usual, cocky greeting, but Shiro sounded more on the angry side. Tensa frowned and asked if something was wrong, but Shiro told him not to worry, changing the subject by asking why he sounded so excited.<p>

Shiro had received at least three texts during his meeting with Sosuke and the other Seven members, and he couldn't wait to get back to the brunet about what was so important. Problem was that the meeting ran late. Grimmjow had made some snide remark about Sosuke being a 'slave driver that needed to get laid', and although nothing was ever officially declared, Shiro figured that the extended time in which Sosuke lectured the entire Seven team into the ground had something to do with Grimmjow's sharp tongue. It did help to hear Tensa's voice, and Shiro immediately relaxed as he stripped off his shirt and pants and fell into bed.

"I have something I want to show you!" Tensa shared excitedly, grinning from ear to ear when Shiro responded with a soft hum.

"Sounds like something sexy," Shiro said, lowering his voice.

Tensa shivered and collected himself. He closed his eyes and pulled the bed sheets up to his chest. When he was silent for too long, Shiro chuckled and answered for him.

"It _is_ something sexy, isn't it? Now I've gotta know."

"It's kind of a surprise," Tensa whispered, as if afraid that Shiro would hear him. "But I'm sure you'll really enjoy it."

"Can't tell me about it?" Shiro booed and shoved a hand beneath the sheets to adjust himself. Something about Tensa's sleepy voice always got him hard. "When do I get this surprise then?"

"Well…" Tensa drew the moment out, knowing it would drive Shiro crazy. He could hear Shiro shifting in his bed on the other end and shuddered at the images his mind supplied. "How about tomorrow? Do you have work?"

"Even if I did, how could I deny you?" Shiro squirmed again and pressed a hand over his boxers. "God Tensa, do you have any idea what you do to me when you talk like that?"

"Uhm, talk like what?"

"Like you're trying to turn me on. You're gonna kill me with that damned hot voice of yours."

"Oh," Tensa laughed nervously. Truthfully, he'd been thinking the same of Shiro's voice, but Shiro always spoke like that. Heat sank below his waist and he closed his eyes, tilting his head back. Thinking back, he imagined Shiro's kisses and burning touch. "_Mmm."_

"Like that," Shiro said, sounding a bit rough, and Tensa suspected he knew why. "Do that again."

"Do what, Shiro?" Tensa asked softly, feeling his heart beat hard in his chest. A thin sweat broke out on his skin. He knew from experience that making Shiro wait and explain things only turned him on more, and Tensa had to admit he loved hearing Shiro talk that way.

"That little sound you made," Shiro groaned and Tensa immediately responded with a low moan. "Fuck, that one. Do it again, Ten."

Tensa bit his lip and reached down to palm himself anxiously. With a thick swallow, his bare hand slipped beneath his underwear. Tensa gasped out another moan and his cheeks lit with color. "Shiro.." he mumbled in half-warning. As much as Tensa liked doing this sort of thing, he preferred their first sexual experience not be over the phone.

"I know, sorry. Can't help myself, you know?" Shiro pulled his hand back out of his boxers and rolled to the side. "I'll save it for tomorrow, sound good?"

Surprised by how easy Shiro stopped, Tensa agreed and was soon off the phone, lying in his bed with an erection that refused to go down. After waiting there for another few minutes, willing it to ease, Tensa got up and stripped his underwear off, deciding that if he was going to have to take care of it, he might as well shower, too.

* * *

><p>When back at his house, Ichigo told Shinji he'd be fine (a lie) and said he just wanted to sleep. Shinji was reluctant, but left him alone, planning to come over the next day to check on him. The blond had to bring Ichigo's truck back anyhow because he had left his car on the street and Ichigo mentioned he didn't need it for the night.<p>

Ichigo hadn't meant to lie to his friend, but he _thought_ he wanted to be alone. When the door was shut, he laid on the floor just inside and sulked for a while. He'd had enough of crying for the moment and figured it was time to man the fuck up.

But Grimmjow was such an asshole and a liar! …and amazing for the time they were together. Ichigo sighed and rolled on his side, staring at the empty home, wishing he at least had a pet for comfort. Nothing answered his angered cursing but silence, and soon, he got fed up with it.

Ichigo knew he was making a mistake, but he needed to ease the pain somehow, and the best way he could think of was drinking it away. At least temporarily. The first person that came to mind for that was Renji. He may have been a family man now, but Renji was dependable and always up for a little alcohol. Ichigo made the quick call, explaining briefly to his friend that Grimmjow was a "Scented fucking douche" and Renji refrained from asking questions, merely stating that he'd be over within the hour.

Ichigo didn't drift off in the thirty minutes it took for his friend to arrive. He just sat there, sniffling and willing the ache in his chest to go away. He couldn't breathe correctly but he figured that was just a side effect of the mix of anger and sadness taking turns on his tired heart.

A knock came on his door and Ichigo rolled to his knees, reaching up to unlock the door before shouting that Renji could come in.

The redhead stepped in carefully and looked down at his fallen friend. "That bad, is it?"

Ichigo simply nodded with a frown.

"Alright, well my life kinda sucks right about now too," Renji explained with a shrug. "You couldn't have called at a better time. Rukia was just bitching at me about.." Renji trailed off when he saw the desperate look on Ichigo's face and decided his troubles could wait. He helped the tangerine off the floor and led him out the door to his own beaten down truck. After watching Ichigo get in, he drove to the safest bar he knew. At least there, Ichigo was sure to be taken care of. Or so he hoped.

* * *

><p>"And tha's when I said to her, "Fuck bunnies!" You know, like <em>fuck buddies<em>?"

The table erupted and Ichigo pulled a beer bottle closer, nursing it between chuckles as Renji practically bellowed his silly stories to everyone that had gathered around. After the third or fourth drink, things had started to get better, but Ichigo could still feel the hurt lurking around in the area of his gut. He knew this wouldn't help and that it would only get worse if he denied it, but Ichigo wasn't all that smart when it came to dealing with pain. He tended to put it off until the last possible moment, hoping that by ignoring it, it might just go on its happy way and leave him be. It never quite worked out that way in the end.

Most of the people at the table were ones Ichigo barely recognized as customers. A couple of faces he knew to be friends of Kisuke. Like Kensei, who had kept him late that one night for a delivery. Ichigo liked the guy, he seemed nice enough. Though Ichigo figured it was probably sort of a shock to Kensei when Renji told everyone Ichigo was having "guy troubles" making the entire table and half the bar aware that Ichigo was not only down on luck, but gay, which most of them didn't know.

Ichigo hid his face in his arm, failing to hide much of anything when he noticed the bracelet Grimmjow had given him. In a moment of annoyance for its existence and possibly some drunken persuasion, Ichigo and took it off to toss it across the room. Staring at where it had landed with a bit of hope that it might burst into flames, Ichigo jolted when Kensei patted him on the shoulder.

"It's not a big deal, you know. Guys can be just as bad as chicks, if not worse."

Ichigo had almost smiled to that, and felt a bit better knowing that nobody was going to make a big deal about the discovery of his sexuality.

Another hour of drinking, Ichigo's vision was blurring and he was standing on a table with a bottle in hand, swaying unsteadily and singing what he _claimed_ was his favorite song.

"And I just can't _believe_ my first love won't be around. And I'm like…_Baby_-"

"Oh god, I can't take anymore!" Renji grabbed Ichigo's arm and yanked him off the table. "We are never lettin' you sing, ever, again. Understand?"

Confused and a bit dizzy, Ichigo nodded and kept doing so until Renji grabbed his head to hold it still. "And no more bobbing or your head might fall off. Renji chuckled and Ichigo leaned into him, sighing and muttering "baby, baby, baby" out of tune, under his breath.

Renji shivered and shoved the drunk tangerine away, forcing him to slump forward and bump his head on the table.

"More drink please," Ichigo whined, closing his eyes and wishing he didn't see Grimmjow's face every time he did. "MORE!" he demanded, reaching out and showing a hollow grin to the tabletop when he felt a cold bottle pushed against his palm. Ichigo leaned back and pressed it to his lips, giggling when he realized the cap was still on. "Someone…help? My bottle won't take its hat off."

"I think it's tryin'a tell you somethin', Ichi," Renji slurred, looking up from his own drink and peering at Ichigo's. "It's like… a sign."

Ichigo looked at the bottle cap seriously, studying it with narrowed eyes. "I shall call it, Sir Inthaway," he declared with a short nod. "Now gedout of my way, Sir Intheway," Ichigo lifted the bottle, thinking he'd smash the 'hat' off, only to have his arm grabbed in the air before it could come down. Strong fingers pried the beer from his grip and Ichigo looked up to see a curtain of green with spooky looking, shadowed eyes. "Ren…REN!" he shouted, yanking his arm back and cradling it to his chest. "There's a giant ghost pickle in the bar!"

"That's Kisuke you fff-" Renji broke off to laugh. "You idiot."

"Idiot indeed," the bar owner said. Kisuke set the confiscated beer down and surveyed the table with a grimace. "How many drinks have you had?"

Ichigo's eyes scanned the table around him lazily. "S-six…seven…teen?"

"I have never known you to drink so much," Kisuke observed.

"And I've never been duped by a giant, walking DOUCHEBAG," Ichigo shouted at the top of his lungs, alarming the few other customers that had stuck around through the rowdy party Ichigo's table seemed to be having. "Till today," Ichigo corrected with a finger in the air.

"Okay, well that's enough." Kisuke leaned down to pull Ichigo out of the booth, ignoring his whine and dragging him out the side entrance toward his van. "You really ought to find better ways to sort out your personal problems."

Ichigo snorted as he was lowered into a deep seat with a thick cover over it. The fabric felt like velvet on his skin. Ichigo snuggled against it while Kisuke attempted to get a seat belt fastened over him.

"Now you stay put, I need to arrange a ride home for Renji," Kisuke didn't bother waiting for an answer and went back inside, searching for the red mop of messy hair.

Renji was being escorted from the booth in similar fashion as Ichigo moments ago. Kensei had an arm wrapped around Renji's waist and brought him outside as per Kisuke's request. Once the door to the bar was shut, the bar owner stared down his nose at Renji and scowled.

"Now I know I'm not your parent and that you're a grown man, but I thought you should know that I am very disappointed in your behavior tonight," Kisuke put a hand on his hip, completing his parental visage in way that might have made Renji laugh if he wasn't fighting nausea.

Kisuke went on; either unaware or uncaring of Renji's near sick state. "I consider you part of my family and would really hate to think that someone so close to me would allow another member of our family to destroy himself like Ichigo did today under your watch. I'm assuming he called you for support and this is what you let him do. Renji, you are going to be a parent soon and I doubt you can afford to be spending late nights out with your pals drinking when there is someone back at home waiting for you. Against my better judgment, I didn't call Rukia and ask her to pick you up because I feel you deserve one chance to get your act together and act like the father you're supposed to be. Next time I won't be so kind."

Renji scowled and nodded his head, wishing Kensei and whoever else happened to be in the parking lot wasn't around to see his shame. He apologized gently, skull already pounding with a headache. Kisuke waved him off, thanking Kensei for calling him with the problem and for taking Renji home.

Kisuke returned to his van, glad to find that Ichigo was still slumped in the seat with his head in his hands, mumbling something he couldn't hear. The blond glanced at the pitiful mess the boy was in and shook his head before starting the engine. As much as he wanted to give Ichigo his own lecture, he just couldn't do it. Ichigo hadn't looked so bad since he'd lost his mother. Kisuke still wasn't sure what Ichigo had been involved with or why he was so upset, but he hoped that when Ichigo's mind cleared a little, he'd come over to apologize and explain why he'd turned the bar into such a rowdy party.

When they got to Ichigo's house, the blond dragged Ichigo out of the car and took him to the door, unlocking it for him before sending him off with a good night. Ichigo mumbled his response and shut the door, stumbling toward his room where he lay on his bed and stared at the ceiling.

Guilt sank in along with the fear and pain and everything else he'd experienced that day. Everything felt dulled from the drinking but still hurt, still made his chest ache and his eyes burn.

Why had he waited so long to let himself fall for someone? Why did the one person he had to choose have to be Grimmjow? Ichigo still wondered what Grimmjow wanted, what information those sheets of paper he had said, but he was too angry about the break up to worry about it yet. He rolled on his face and closed his eyes, letting the heavy emotions and poison in his body to drag him under into an unfulfilling, uncomfortable sleep.

* * *

><p>"Don't think you're getting out of this so easily!" Shinji shouted. Nnoitra wasn't there to see Ichigo's face so he couldn't <em>possibly<em> understand his pain. He couldn't know how hard it was for him to watch Grimmjow screw everything up while he sat there, helpless to the situation. Shinji should have probably been mad at Nnoitra, but more than anything, he was pissed at Nnoitra's stupid friends for hurting Ichigo and Tensa.

Shinji paused to think of Tensa and sighed. The brunet probably had no idea yet. He couldn't even imagine how bad it would be when Tensa found out Shiro was just another asshole. Shinji shook his head. He growled at Nnoitra and struggled to free his arms from where the taller man had pinned them against the wall.

Earlier, Shinji had called Nnoitra, asking him to come over. Nnoitra wasted no time in appearing, apparently having not heard from Grimmjow what happened with Ichigo, or just not caring enough to make a big deal about it.

When Nnoitra arrived, Shinji didn't hold back, he just threw it all out on the table. He knew Nnoitra wasn't ever planning on being honest, and didn't believe the guy would ever willingly share what was going on, so he just had one question. "Did you ever truly have feelings for me or have I just been an extended booty call for your lying ass?"

Nnoitra blinked and closed the door behind him with a click. "Well hello to you too, sweetheart," It didn't take a scientist to figure out that Shinji knew something, but Nnoitra wasn't about to go blowing his load before he knew _what_ Shinji knew for sure. "What crawled up your ass this morning?"

Ever the dramatic, Shinji rolled his eyes and his arms flew up in the air. "Don't play that ignorant bullshit with me. Ichigo and I found out about your little club of stalkers last night. Just answer the question, because I don't have time for games."

Nnoitra tilted his head, hair falling to the side to reveal his bad eye. For once, it was uncovered. Shinji hadn't ever gotten a good look at it because Nnoitra would bat his hand away when he tried to pull the bandana off, and Nnoitra only ever took it off for showers or sex, during which Shinji was otherwise occupied.

Shinji wasn't sure why Nnoitra didn't wear the bandana today, but now he could clearly see the strange, perforated marks in a wide circle around the eye and pinker, tender skin that made up the area within. Nnoitra's eyelid was fused shut but looked more like it was just resting, as if he were asleep. The skin looked burned, of course, but it wasn't quite as unsightly as he figured.

"Get a good look?" Nnoitra asked, shifting his head so the hair fell back over the wounded eye. "Is that something you wanna hear about while we're cuddling up in bed? All the gory details?" Big, booted feet clapped on the ground as Nnoitra stepped closer to Shinji, backing the blond through the room. "Were you hopin' I might share some of my nightmares with you while you sucked on my dick?"

Shinji frowned and nearly squeaked when his back hit the wall and Nnoitra's hands shot out, lifting Shinji's arms and pinning them on either side of his head.

"I didn't think you liked that sorta game, Shinji," Nnoitra jerked Shinji's arms together and held them with one hand at the wrists. His other hand dropped down and flipped a pocket knife out. "Think you'd still want me if I told you how it felt to watch the life drain from a man's eyes?"

Shinji pressed his head back against the wall and realized this was vaguely familiar. Except that this time, he wasn't prepared and Nnoitra was holding a weapon. Nnoitra didn't actually touch him with the knife, but did wave it around while he spoke, making Shinji nervous each time it flashed by his skin. As much as he liked it rough, something about the look Nnoitra had told him it wasn't just going to be sex.

"This isn't a game, Nnoitra. I'm not asking you to share all those things if you don't want to. All I want to know is if you really give a shit about me."

Nnoitra snorted and brought the blade to Shinji's neck, watching him squirm with his eyes darting around the room. "What do you think, Shinji? That someone like me can have feelings?"

Shinji didn't flinch, staring defiantly in Nnoitra's one open eye. "Yes," he muttered, eyes not wavering. "I think you do, but you don't want to admit it. You care for me, so why don't you just say so?"

"Feelings are too complicated," Nnoitra admonished. "This though," Nnoitra folded the knife and put it away, lifting his hand to slide it over Shinji's body from his knee, up his leg to his hip. He watched Shinji tremble and leaned in, breathing across his lips. "This is easier, and much more satisfying."

And that was where Shinji sat now, forced against the wall and wishing he hadn't lost all his will to fight the moment Nnoitra's big hand ran over his body. "Don't think you're getting out of this so easily!" he said, curling his lip even while his body betrayed him.

"Thought you said sex fixes everythin'?" Nnoitra whispered, dragging his lips over Shinji's neck "Ain't that what you told me?"

"I was wrong" Shinji whined, redoubling his efforts and finding some small amount of strength to struggle against Nnoitra's firm hold. "I can scream pretty loud, you know."

Nnoitra's face spread in a fierce grin. "I _do_ know and it never seemed to matter when you did before. No one will hear you, no one that cares."

As if realizing his fate, Shinji got a wild look in his eyes and spit in Nnoitra's face. "I don't want this and I don't want you!" he shouted, still hoping a raise in his voice might attract some help if he ended up needing it.

Nnoitra wiped the spit from his eye with his free hand and glared at the blond. "What makes you think your opinion matters?"

"It matters because I know that you like your victims to be willing. Just like I know that you aren't some monster that has no feelings and only needs sex! Now quit wasting my time and fuck _the hell_ off. Ichigo is hurting right now thanks to your sorry ass friend and quite frankly, I'm sick of your bullshit."

Nnoitra stared at Shinji for a moment, the honest words striking something in him that he didn't think existed until then. It took him a moment, but Nnoitra did let Shinji go, dropping his hands limply to his sides. "You don't have to be such a dramatic faggot about it," he mumbled.

Shinji's hard smack to Nnoitra's face sent a loud echo of sound through the room, shocking Nnoitra for a second time since he arrived. Shinji he made a rude face and stormed toward the door, not bothering to wait for Nnoitra to leave, even if it was his own house. He grabbed Ichigo's car keys and a sweater on the way out and then slammed the door, figuring he could deal with the giant freak another day. He promised to visit Ichigo and that was exactly what he was going to do.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

Well, I've made a mess of everything, haven't I? Answers will come, don't kill me yet.

To those of you that have reviewed anonymously or without FF accounts, I'd just like to thank you _here_ since this is the only way that I can :) I am rather humbled by the response to the last chapter and feel a bit bad for leaving it on such a suspenseful note! All of you are just too kind.


	11. Gluttony

**Note:** Since I've been in a particularly good mood of late, I've decided to release an early, **extended** version (it was short to begin with) of this chapter as a thank you for all of the wonderful support. I've always said that I write for myself (and that will forever be true), but it does brighten my day to know that others are emotionally attached to a story I've put _so much_ into.

At least that's the impression I get when I receive six or seven threats (with pointy objects, no less) demanding that I fix what I've broken! All in good fun, of course. _I'm so going to be dead after this. D:_

Heh, this chapter is Seven Eleven. ...I'll shut up now. Enjoy the chapter.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Eleven: Gluttony.<strong>

**OR**

**Bittersweet.**

* * *

><p>As Ichigo woke, he was bombarded by the mixed sensations of his temples throbbing, eyes aching and stomach rolling. It was clear that he would need to be in the general vicinity of the bathroom very soon, but everything within him protested the movement. He just wanted to lay there forever and sink into the sheets.<p>

When he got around to opening his eyes, Ichigo whined out a pitiful sound and pressed his sunlight molested eyes back into the pillow. Why did everything about his day _already_ have to suck? Even his hand hurt from hitting Grimmjow so hard the night before, which, in his honest opinion didn't seem the slightest bit fair. Holding the pillow to his face, Ichigo sat up slowly, feeling like the whole world was spinning around him as he stayed sheltered in the dark provided by the pillow case. At least his home was silent, that much he could be thankful for.

Ichigo pulled the pillow away and set it on the bed, then slit open his eyes as much as necessary to guide himself to the window and pull the curtains shut. He shuffled toward the bathroom, still feeling a bit uncoordinated. Realizing that he still wore the same clothes from the night before, he decided on taking a shower. With any luck, he might feel a bit less miserable afterward.

Ichigo entered the bathroom and his world tilted, eyes going crossed as his vision darkened. He reached out to catch himself on the towel rack, but barely missed, sliding past it and falling against the wall of the tub. Ichigo groaned when his chest hit the hard surface and rolled over on his back on the floor, holding his hands to the pained area, wishing the ceiling would stop spinning above him. He watched it whirl around for a moment, then felt the unmistakable churn in his gut and crawled toward the toilet just in time to grab the seat and hurl into the bowl.

"Fuuuuuck this!" He whined as the vomiting came to a stop. Letting himself fall back to the floor, Ichigo yanked on the toilet paper roll hitched to the wall, unrolling too much but not caring as he brought the end of it to his mouth to wipe away the mess.

Was it really necessary for him to make matters worse by drinking himself stupid? What sucked even more is that through his half-conscious daze, Ichigo still managed to hear Kisuke chew Renji out in the parking lot the night before, and Ichigo knew he was to blame. Renji was just trying to be a good friend, it wasn't his fault Ichigo called him so late and wanted to drink. Now Ichigo felt like the biggest pile of shit for embarrassing his boss, getting his friend in trouble and pushing away one of the few people that might actually understand his situation, Shinji. At least Shinji wouldn't hold it against him, but Ichigo also knew that the blond hardly ever forgot _anything_.

Once he was sure his stomach was relatively settled, Ichigo dragged himself toward the bath again and hung over the side, wincing at the pain in his chest while reaching for the faucet. It turned out to be too far, so he crawled inside with his clothes still on and then collapsed on his back, growling and wishing he cared enough to bathe properly. Ichigo stared up into the pipe above him and blinked slowly, wishing silently that bathtub's weren't so damn uncomfortable without water in them.

Ichigo felt a strange buzz in his back pocket and rolled to his side awkwardly, reaching back to retrieve the vibrating lump underneath him. His heart skipped a beat when a fleeting hopeful thought of Grimmjow calling danced across his heart, but it was dashed away when Ichigo saw Renji's name on the screen. For moment, he stared at the blinking display, wondering why in the hell he would even briefly wish for Grimmjow to call him. Sighing, Ichigo knew that he at least owed his friend the courtesy of taking the call, and held the phone to his ear, groaning as a greeting.

The phone, however, kept buzzing against his ear and Ichigo pulled it back before rolling his eyes and actually connecting the call. He groaned once more and Renji responded with a sympathetic grunt.

"I'm guessing you probably feel like shit right about now?" Renji asked quietly, knowing Ichigo's headache was probably twice as painful as his own. Even as much as Renji lost control the night before, he still hadn't had half as much as Ichigo did. Unfortunately, that fact only made him feel worse. He really shouldn't have let Ichigo drink so much, and even though he'd received quite the ear full from Rukia when Kensei took him home, Renji knew he was lucky to have someone to go home to. Ichigo, on the other hand, had to be alone with his pain, and that thought didn't settle well with Renji at all.

Ichigo sighed loudly into the phone, dipping his head back and attempting to adjust his neck so it didn't cramp. "Pretty much."

"Man, I'm sorry for letting you do that. I just thought you really needed it and I'm.." Renji hesitated. "I'm not so good with that sort of thing. I never know what to say."

Through his pain, Ichigo managed a faint smile. "Renji, don't worry about it. You did exactly what I needed you to," Renji's relieved sigh made Ichigo smile a little wider before reverting to a pained grimace. He rubbed a hand over the spot on his chest where he'd hit the tub and listened in as Renji continued.

"Kisuke gave me this major speech last night and it made me feel like the worst friend in the world. I was sure you'd hate me when I called."

Ichigo fought a small chuckle. "Nah, I heard it. He was pretty hard on you, huh? Forget about it though. I know you'll be an amazing father."

"God, Ichi, I really hope so."

Renji had an unsure waver in his voice, a rare one, but Ichigo knew it well. He never did like hearing when the other redhead was uncertain about something, it just didn't suit his personality. Ichigo supposed being married to Rukia with a child on the way was a good enough cause for his behavior to change slightly. "Don't worry about it Ren. You'll do fine."

"Thanks, that really means a lot."

Renji didn't stay on the phone for much longer, which was fine with Ichigo since he'd be perfectly content passing out for the rest of the week. The soon to be father only waited to be sure Ichigo would be fine and then told him he had some groveling to do. To get back on Rukia's good side, Ichigo figured. When Ichigo dropped the phone, it skidded down the bathtub near his shoulder and he sighed, resting his hands on his chest and closing his eyes.

As always, Grimmjow was waiting for him there, in the dark space behind Ichigo's eyelids where what he used to call dreams would play like a favorite movie he'd memorized scene by scene. Ichigo could still clearly picture the look on Grimmjow's face right before he punched him. It felt like in that one moment the blunet wished for nothing else but to take it all back, just as Ichigo did. Like Grimmjow didn't really mean what he said about not being interested or any of that other stuff about Ichigo being selfish. As if he hadn't been spending time with him with ulterior motives, ones Ichigo still didn't fully understand.

Ichigo scowled. Maybe he _was_ only thinking about himself. All he ever did when they were together was ask questions. He never even gave Grimmjow a chance to share things naturally. He wondered if things would have been different if he did. Maybe Grimmjow wouldn't have been so reluctant to share if he had just given him more time.

No, even that wouldn't have changed the end result. Even now, the only thing Ichigo regretted was the pain in his hand from hitting the man, no matter how satisfying it had been to see the hurt look on his face afterward.

Why had the whole, short relationship felt like it was on a timer from the beginning? It was as if he had to rush and find out everything there was to know about Grimmjow before the fuse was up and everything exploded in his face. Ichigo grabbed his shirt in attempts to pull it off, his last weak attempt at stripping and bathing, but he ended up fisting the cloth in his fingers and letting out a strangled sound.

He couldn't help but remember Grimmjow's face, the sound of his voice and taste of his skin, his sarcastic mood and the gleam forever in his eyes. Ichigo tossed his head to the side and could almost feel the warmth of Grimmjow's lips along his neck. Ghost like chills swept over his skin in waves that made him sigh, frustrated.

In all his time being alone, Ichigo had never felt like he needed someone. He thought of the idea as strange, almost pathetic. But lying there on his own, feeling the vacant hole in his chest from where Grimmjow had curled inside, it made him wonder how he ever survived on his own.

"What should I do?" he wondered, covering his face as the question went unanswered in the emptiness of the bathroom. "I don't know anymore!"

* * *

><p>Tia was well accustomed to the attention she would get for her looks, but the way that Starrk would light up when she entered a room had never failed to strike a thrill through her body. They'd been on and off casually for years, and always picked up where they left off, as though they'd never parted to begin with. There was something to be said when you could tolerate an ex for near to a dozen years, but it hadn't ever felt like a chore to her. The look in Starrk's eyes as she crossed the room told her that he felt much the same.<p>

"Tia," Starrk rose from the table and pulled out a chair for the blond woman to sit in. "It's good to see you outside that stuffy building," Starrk smiled as Tia laughed, it'd always been a sound that made his lazy heart skip a beat. It seemed that she was the only woman ever to accomplish such a thing.

"And where is our third?" Tia asked, peering toward the closed door to their private room in the back of the restaurant. Tia had just been shown to the room, finding Starrk waiting there already. Normally, the man was the last to arrive with considerable amounts of sleep in his eyes, but it seemed that today, the other individual joining them would be last.

"I'm not sure, he must be running late," Starrk seated himself and dropped a napkin on his lap. "No doubt Sosuke has kept him busy the last couple of weeks," The brunet winked and Tia lifted a brow.

"It does seem _that_ is his only job at times, doesn't it?" Shaking her head, Tia wondered if said man even enjoyed his trysts with the leader of their organization. Something could certainly be said for his patience, but Tia had her doubts about his methods.

"Ah, there he is," Starrk announced, and the both of them turned toward the front of the room.

"Well ain't that a familiar sight," The man said, all but waltzing across the room to take a seat at their table, "Am I to be believin' that you two are together again?"

Starrk and Tia exchanged a look, the latter shifting in her seat uncomfortably. They hadn't spoken of anything personal recently, and luckily, it wasn't meant to be the topic of their small meeting.

Starrk shifted his eyes from Tia and leveled the silvery violet haired man with one of his stern, work faces. It'd been well practiced but hardly used anymore as Grimmjow seemed to be taking all of the good jobs in recent months. Then again, the assignment Grimmjow had now,…well that was why they were here, wasn't it? To talk about him and his so-called assignment. "I think we've got more pressing things to talk about, right?"

Crystal blue eyes peeked open for a moment, and an already too wide grin stretched a bit bigger. "Indeed, we do."

* * *

><p>Tensa peered through the partially opened door, fully expecting to see Shiro behind dark shades with a dangerous smile. The smile was still there, but hidden behind a bouquet of a dozen roses that made Tensa's face light up so bright, he matched their shade.<p>

"Shiro, you really shouldn't-"

"Just take them," Shiro growled. Tensa craned his neck to see around the flowers and found that Shiro was also embarrassed, which was all the more amusing when he noticed that his boyfriend wasn't wearing sunglasses to hide his eyes. With a shaky hand, Tensa took the offered gift and pulled the door open further, inviting Shiro in.

Leading the way to the kitchen, Tensa smiled at the roses and felt the blush creeping toward his ears and around the back of his neck. Nobody had ever given him flowers and he never expected that anyone would. It seemed such a cheesy thing to do, but Tensa decided as he held the beautiful bouquet in his hands that cheesy or not, he appreciated the gesture.

Tensa laid them down carefully on the kitchen counter and searched for a vase. While he shuffled through cupboards, he spoke over his shoulder, hoping Shiro wouldn't be upset by his shocked silence.

"I have to admit, I was a little nervous about tonight," Tensa shut the third cabinet he searched through and settled for a large, plastic cup, resolving that later on he'd go out to get a proper container for the flowers. He gathered the roses to place them in the water filled cup and arranged them so that they weren't bunched up together. As he did so, he wondered about Shiro's silence until surprisingly warm lips grazed the back of his neck.

Shiro delighted in the garnet color of Tensa's skin when he blushed like this. It made him want to kiss every inch of his rosy flesh until he was covered head to toe with embarrassment. "Why're you nervous?" he asked, reaching around to still Tensa's busy hands and tangle them with his own.

Tensa took a slow, shuddering breath and felt his hands tremble in Shiro's. "Because of what I plan to show you," he explained softly, willing himself to turn around and gaze on Shiro's uncovered eyes. When he did, the brunet was rewarded with another lecherous smile and felt the beginnings of a shiver tensing the muscles along his spine. "I'm glad you didn't wear them today," Tensa said, lifting a finger to trace the bridge of Shiro's nose to indicate the glasses. "Your eyes really are stunning."

Shiro's grin faltered slightly and he tightened his grip on Tensa's waist to lean in for a slow, distracting kiss. Allowing people to see his true eye color, especially the black sclera his golden eyes were set on, was one of the few things that rattled Shiro. Most people found it unsettling, which was why he hid them away. It wasn't because he was afraid or even cared what others thought, he just preferred not to have to explain the reasoning behind it every single time he met a new person. Especially when on a job. It was easier to get a conversation going when it didn't start with 'Why yes, my eyes are weird...'

The simple fact that Tensa preferred that he not hide behind the sunglasses was but one item on a growing list of things Shiro decided he should have found in a partner long ago. He knew that his loud personality needed a balance, someone that wasn't quite as outgoing and daring as himself, or else they'd never get past the mischief. But Tensa wasn't exactly soft and was actually rather confident; somewhere behind the deceiving blushes and averted eyes, he was a strong willed man and could fight for what he loved. Shiro only wished he could be so lucky as to earn that sort of dedication from the brunet before him.

"Shiro?" Tensa asked, worrying at the lip that Shiro had long since finished kissing as the albino wandered among his thoughts.

"Why don't you show me that surprise?" Shiro didn't bother to hide his excitement when Tensa's breath caught. The brunet nodded slowly before leading him out of the room.

Shiro walked impatiently behind Tensa's small, measured steps, his eyes not wandering from his form until he was brought into a lowly lit room that he quickly recognized. It was Tensa's studio, except with the bright lamps turned down and only the soft illumination of candles glowing in the room. All of Tensa's work, various easels and painting supplies were pushed against the wall, arranged carefully to look more like an art show than a somewhat messy and commonly used work space. In the middle of the newly cleared floor laid a couple of blankets with one on top that looked to be more like table cloth material. Shiro searched for Tensa's eyes, but the brunet was wandering around the room, rearranging certain things to better suit his preferences. "What is this?" he asked, earning him the ocean blue gaze he was looking for.

In the semi-dark of the room, Shiro could see Tensa's face light up with a mix of pride and excitement. "I wanted to share my passion with you while also ..sharing a bit of myself."

Shiro blinked at him then turned his attention to the art lining the walls. It took a moment, but soon he realized that none of them were portraits like the first time he visited the room. Some of were of sweeping landscapes with stretches of stars or windblown grass, while others depicted images of couples, holding hands, traveling the length of a street or overlooking the horizon on a beautiful beach. That was just a few among other such breath taking sights, and drew Shiro closer to inspect them individually

"Tensa, these are.. wow, I don't know what to say," _That was a fucking first. _"These're all yours?" Of course, Shiro knew the answer, but he wasn't sure what else to do. Nobody had ever given him a presentation like this before, much less shared something that was so clearly important to them.

"Yes. I'm sure you can tell that they aren't all new, but I collected the most meaningful of my paintings and put them out because I got the impression you were interested in my work." The brunet's gaze wandered away from Shiro's. "If I've mistaken-"

"No." Shiro cut off that nonsense before it could start. "Come here."

Tensa stepped closer, allowing Shiro to embrace him and bring their lips together.

"This is one hell of a surprise, Tensa."

"A-actually," The brunet pulled back and motioned to the floor. "If you could lay down, I'll show you the rest."

"There's more?" Shiro paused for a moment, then regained that natural glint in his eyes as he processed what he'd just been told to do. "Lay down, you say?"

"Please, if you wouldn't mind," Tensa waited to be sure Shiro was settled on the ground then turned to fetch a small plate from a desk across the room. He brought it over and sat down next to Shiro, placing the plate on the floor. Tensa reached out, touching the cool, pale skin of Shiro's chest that was revealed from his half buttoned, long sleeved shirt. Shiro practically quivered with excitement from the gesture. "Could you lay all the way back?"

Curious, but very much willing, Shiro reclined on the strange blanket on the floor with his knees bent and raised in front of him. To his surprise, Tensa shifted onto his knees then crawled up over him, straddling his hips and looking down with his hair framing his face. "Tensa, what-"

"Shh," Tensa touched a finger to Shiro's lips and smiled. He reached for the plate next to them and took a small tube, unscrewing the cap. Shiro's eyes went wide. Surely Tensa wasn't willing to move _that_ quickly, was he?

Tensa smiled at Shiro's surprised expression and turned the tube in his hand, allowing him to see what was written on the front. When a soft chuckle melted Shiro's shock away, Tensa removed the cap before squirting some of the dark substance onto the plate. He then retrieved a paint brush from what seemed like thin air and set it down on the floor.

Tensa appraised Shiro with gradually darkening eyes and bent forward to rub his hands over his shirt, tugging at the collar, then slipping his fingers underneath before unbuttoning it the rest of the way. When it was fully undone and parted to reveal all of Shiro's chest, Tensa pressed his hands flat against fair skin and hard muscles. He slowly pushed the shirt off Shiro's shoulders as he sucked in a breath to steady himself.

Shiro smiled up at the brunet. "You have no idea how many times I've dreamed of you doin' this."

Tensa paused, forcing his eyes to meet Shiro's. His heart raced inside his chest. "I may still surprise you," he muttered, letting his eyes fall back down to look at what he'd been wanting so badly to see.

Tensa took in the six winding, stretches of black originating from the center of Shiro's sternum, extending out in different directions to splay across smooth, pale arcs of fit muscle. Tensa traced tentative fingers over the top two lines of the tattoo first, following them upward to frame Shiro's neck. Then he moved his hands back down to follow the next two which also stretched upward to travel over Shiro's collar bones and drape over the taught muscles between his neck and shoulder. The lowest two of the six lines arced upward up and trailed across Shiro's pectorals before banding around the upper part of his biceps. With the round circle of black in the middle, the shape almost resembled a spider with two missing legs.

Shiro shivered as Tensa's delicate fingertips spanned each dark curve of the tattoo and let out an unmistakable sound that had Tensa retreating to follow the movements again just to recapture that lust filled glaze in the albino's eyes once more.

Tensa leaned in for a kiss and his hands continued to blindly explore Shiro's body. Hard muscles twitched and tensed under his touch and Shiro groaned heatedly as a gentle tongue slid over his lips, not asking but demanding entrance. Shiro made no move to stop it and tilted his head back, smiling at the way Tensa scooted forward to keep the connection. Deft fingers paused at Shiro's nipples and flicked lightly before moving down and dragging across his abdomen.

"Fuck yeah," Shiro muttered, wholly unable to keep from sharing his approval of Tensa's sudden willingness to appreciate his body. He had no clue what the plate and paint brush were all about, but when Tensa withdrew with dark navy eyes raking down his chest, Shiro realized he didn't care so long as the brunet didn't stop.

Tensa bent forward again, allowing all the buildup of stress to flow from his body in the way of a kiss that felt so much deeper than any he'd ever had. His fingers searched and caressed in a way he might have normally been embarrassed to do, and his hips rocked ever so slightly in Shiro's lap, provoking Shiro's apparent arousal and acknowledging it.

When Shiro's breath blew harshly against his lips, Tensa withdrew, this time taking up the paintbrush and dipping it into the dark substance on the plate. He poised the brush over Shiro's heaving torso and drew a single, thin line in a circle where all of the curved tattoos met at the center of Shiro's chest. Shiro shivered and fought to keep his eyes open, watching Tensa's practiced hand make a steady, perfect circle before setting the brush aside again. Then Tensa dipped forward and surprised the albino by following the painted shape with his tongue.

When Shiro went rigid, afraid Tensa might be poisoning himself, Tensa sat back with a smile and reminded him of the label he read on the tube moments ago_. It's just frosting. _Chocolate, no less.

"Taste good?" Shiro asked, hardly trying to hide his grin when Tensa dipped forward again, swiping at the chocolate circle with his tongue. He felt the younger man follow the curve around and then wander off to the left, kissing one of the thick bands that arced over his left pectoral.

"Mmh," Tensa hummed, licking his lips and sitting back once the frosting had been licked away. He took up the brush again and scooted back a little, unintentionally stirring a breathy moan from Shiro as his bottom dragged over Shiro's building erection to provide more room for him to access his hips.

Tensa's fingers curled under the fabric of Shiro's pants and pulled them a couple of inches down, revealing a small, curved pair of hip bones. The sight had heat sinking straight between Tensa's legs. "Wow," was all he could manage to say. Carefully, he lifted the brush and pressed it to Shiro's skin again, tracing a slow, descending line from the top of a pale left hip bone, following the inward curve over sensitive skin until he stopped just a hair from the hem of Shiro's pants. Tensa drew a straight line over the lowest area of Shiro's stomach toward his other hip and ended with a curved edge before lifting the paintbrush away.

Shiro rose up on his elbows to get a better look at the line spanning the distance between his hips as Tensa shifted and set the brush aside. Shiro held his breath, watching Tensa lower himself and place a hand on his chest while parting his lips over the quivering lowest area of his stomach. When Tensa's warm, impossibly smooth lips skipped over his skin, Shiro gasped and arched his neck back, grabbing the blanket on either side of him and fisting it between his fingers. A hot mouth closed on the sharpest ridge of his hipbone and sucked.

"Shit," Shiro moaned, closing his eyes to focus on the movements of Tensa's lips. They dragged teasingly toward his other hip then parted to spread the warmth of his breath over the painted area.

Tensa curled his tongue along thin line of frosting, closing his eyes and enjoying the taste. His lips curled slightly upward as he thought how nice it was when Shiro's voice lost its normal edge to the deeper, strong hum of sound that raised hairs at the back of his neck. Shiro was sinfully attractive, and each of his honey thick moans urged Tensa to rush through the process like he knew he shouldn't. Keeping his blue eyes locked upward, he nipped and sucked at a couple of individual spots on Shiro's stomach and reached up to grab one of his hips and gently hold it down.

Shiro squirmed and moaned again. The dwindling sensible side of him realized that the lines and simple patterns weren't meant to be specifically artistic but most certainly came off as erotic. Feeling Tensa's mouth move so low over his stomach, hinting at something more, Shiro wasn't sure how long he could hold back.

When Tensa had cleaned the frosting from Shiro's pale stomach and each of his hips, he lingered for a moment, kissing and licking the sweetened skin, enjoying the mixture of chocolate with Shiro's taste as he trailed his lips upward across tensed, flat abs. "Shiro," he said in a soft whisper, wondering if the other had heard it.

The sound was strangled when Shiro responded with a tiny "Yeah?" and Tensa chose not to respond while exploring upward, nipping and kissing at random places on his way. Shiro continued with the low moans and occasionally deep growls when Tensa found a sensitive spot, such as the area beneath the right side of his ribcage. His entire chest would ripple with a shiver during those times and Tensa would tease the area again before moving away.

After a time, Tensa looked up to meet lidded eyes and dropped a hand over Shiro's straining erection, drawing a hungry sound from the man beneath him. Tensa licked his lips and moved both hands to work on Shiro's belt, unfastening the tight buckle and slipping it out of the loops. Shiro's hips lifted when the belt was yanked from the areas near the back of his pants, and then he rested once more as a burning heat spread through his limbs and broke out in a thin sweat across his pale skin.

Tensa bent forward, pressing his palms on the ground on either side of Shiro while he bucked his hips forward and kept moving them in a slow, dragging pace. Shiro's resulting ragged breaths drew Tensa in and the brunet kissed his panting lips, sharing the sweet, lingering taste of chocolate with his eyes still open. Tensa watched the way Shiro's eyes fluttered open and shut with each achingly slow pass he made over Shiro's lap.

Growing restless, Shiro reached up and pulled Tensa closer, causing the brunet to nearly fall on his chest. His hands were already reaching downward, slipping into the back pockets of Tensa's jeans. Tensa turned his head to nip at his neck, punctuating soft bites with gentle sucks at the worried areas.

Shiro couldn't think clearly with rain of attention over him, but he knew that at some point he was going to have to ask. The fact that Tensa was willing all of a sudden to go this far did put up a flag, but that could be discussed later so long as he was sure the brunet was ready for this. Doubt seated itself in the back of Shiro's mind and grew over the long, heated minutes until Tensa's hand was tugging at his pants, working the zipper, and sense was jerked back to the front of Shiro's thoughts.

"Ten," Shiro took a deep breath and touched Tensa's hand, stopping it for a moment to gather his thoughts. "Sure you're alright with this?"

Tensa's brow drew and he nodded slowly, lips falling into a slight frown.

Shiro sighed and squeezed Tensa's hand before letting go. "As much as I feel like an idiot for stopping you, I want you to be positive."

Tensa's gaze fell to Shiro's chest, worry written all over his face.

Shiro sighed. Part of him wished he didn't ask, but he knew it was the right thing to do. Tensa's soft eyes shifted to the side and Shiro watched his plump, bottom lip disappear between his teeth. "You aren't," he muttered and lifted a hand to Tensa's cheek. "Don't push it if you aren't ready."

Shiro watched Tensa gulp before clearing away the fear, putting on a convincingly cute smile. "It's not that. I'm ready, I'm just kind of .."

"Out of practice?" Shiro provided, winking when Tensa shied back into a blush.

"You could say that."

"Hm," Shiro looped an arm around Tensa's back and then flipped their positions, rolling himself on top of the slightly smaller male. Tensa stared up at him, desire shading his eyes and want guiding his hands around Shiro's body. Shiro smirked and bent for a kiss, parting the brunet's thighs with a hand. Tensa shivered when Shiro's fingers ghosted past the inner part of his left thigh and skimmed toward his hip where Shiro captured the hem of Tensa's shirt and lifted it up. Tensa sat up a little and raised his arms, allowing Shiro to remove the tee shirt and toss it aside. Lust ridden golden eyes fell on Tensa's naked chest and Tensa fought back another blush as Shiro stared for a long moment.

Shiro couldn't help but stare. To an outsider, Tensa may have appeared to be thin and frail with his smaller build, but with a closer look, Shiro could see the fine accents of his obviously trained physique that stood out against his skin. Before Shiro could fall on the tempting sight, Tensa pressed a hand to his face and stared in his eyes.

"I need to tell you something."

Shiro's chest tightened. Tensa looked so serious all of a sudden and he worried that this might be his nervous plea for him to stop.

"I may be.." Tensa stopped and shook his head. "I _am_ falling for you. I thought you should know before we do this because I don't want you to think… that it was because of what we did."

Shiro's gaze softened, lips curling into a thankful, if not slightly dangerous smile. Instinct told Shiro to kiss the beautiful sight below him and so he did, long and deep, sharing his returning feelings in the best way that he could. Words were never his strong suit, but he knew that Tensa would wait for a response for however long it took. It seemed pretty important to him that they clear this up before continuing, so Shiro pulled back, admiring the swollen quality to Tensa's lips while he spoke the words he thought he'd never hear himself say.

"I'm falling for you too, Tensa. Actually, hell, I've already done the falling shit. I've long passed that, so I think it's safe to say I.." Shiro frowned and swallowed, cheeks tingeing with a dust of pink. "Well, I really like you, kay?"

Tensa chuckled and nodded, reaching up to sift his hands into silken white hair and lure Shiro close for another hungry kiss. "Kay."

* * *

><p>Shinji walked through the house with a grocery bag in one arm and a thick, worn sweater over his shoulder. He'd been knocking on Ichigo's door for the last ten minutes and finally decided to let himself in. Either Ichigo was so far gone that he hadn't heard the door to begin with, or he was sulking and not answering on purpose. Either way, Shinji reasoned that Ichigo needed help, whether he wanted it or not. What he hadn't expected to find was Ichigo curled up in the bathtub with his head in his hands. Ichigo's shirt was half pulled up, pants wrinkled from sleep and hair a fuzzy mess. Toilet paper was strewn out on the floor and Shinji caught the distinct scent of unflushed vomit in the toilet.<p>

Shinji carefully shut the toilet lid, not wanting to scare Ichigo by making any sudden noise, and sat down on it, peering down at his sullen friend. "Ichigo," he called softly, reaching out to touch his friend's shoulder. "Ichi, what happened?"

Ichigo looked up lazily, face flush and eyes brimmed with tears. "Shinji," Was all he said, but the blond figured it out without further explanation.

Shinji dropped the bag and sweater and reached over the edge of the tub, pulling Ichigo near and hugging him for a long, comforting moment. Ichigo sniffled against his hair and tried to calm himself. Shinji pulled back when it seemed long enough and kissed Ichigo's warm forehead, bringing a hand up to brush away the tears. Shinji felt completely helpless. There were no words to say that could ease Ichigo's pain and only time could make him stronger. He tried to smile when Ichigo met his gaze. "I brought some stuff for you, but I think you need to clean up first."

Ichigo nodded slowly and lifted his head toward the faucet. "I tried," he said with a scowl and felt his stomach lurch once more. "Oh, god."

"Shit!" Shinji stood up quickly and wrapped an arm around Ichigo's back, lifting him up out of the tub to help him near the toilet. Ichigo threw the lid up, grabbed the seat and heaved, and Shinji pushed back his bangs while looking away and holding his breath.

Only because of the countless times Ichigo had done this for him and his apparently unwavering devotion to their friendship, did Shinji stay. He hadn't expected Ichigo to be this upset, but realized belatedly how long it had been since Ichigo last been in a relationship, or one that apparently meant this much. Just the look Ichigo had in his eyes told him that the couple of weeks he and Grimmjow knew each other felt like more between them, and without a doubt, Ichigo loved Grimmjow before all of this. Shinji shook his head and bit his lip. If he ever got his hands on that blue haired jerk, he was seriously going to fuck him up.

Shinji looked up when Ichigo started sitting back and he jumped up to bring Ichigo some water to rinse his mouth out. When he returned, Ichigo was leaning against the wall with a hand on his head and eyes tightly shut.

"Headache?" Shinji asked, handing the glass of water to Ichigo.

Ichigo took it gratefully and drank for a moment before spitting in the sink. "Worse than you'd believe."

"What did you do last night after I dropped you off?" Shinji didn't want Ichigo to think he was being judgmental, he was just curious. The drinking part was obvious enough, but he was worried that something else might have happened. Ichigo wasn't the rebound, one night stand type, but this didn't seem like a normal break up either.

"I couldn't sleep so I called Renji to take me out for drinks," Ichigo rinsed off his face and took another sip from his glass. "I guess it's pretty obvious that I got trashed," He turned, feeling a little better about having a slightly cleaner mouth and flushed the toilet before dropping the lid and sitting on it. "I'm so stupid. Renji got in trouble for taking me out and Kisuke…" Ichigo shook his head. Why had they gone to Benihime's of all places?

Shinji frowned. It wasn't like Ichigo to be so down or hopeless, but at least the drinking was all there was to it. He motioned for his friend to scoot over on the toilet and sat down next to him, rubbing a hand across his back. "At least you weren't nearly get raped by a guy with a knife, right?" Shinji had intended it to sound like a joke, but he was still a little shaken up by Nnoitra's twisted behavior, so his voice came out rough.

Ichigo sat back and stared. "Did that happen to you?" Again, Ichigo realized he'd been worrying about himself. Of course Shinji and Tensa would be messed up by this, too. He hadn't even thought to ask how Shinji was doing.

"Yeah, Nnoitra got kind of crazy when I had him come over earlier. I guess Grimmjow didn't tell him about your …fight," Shinji could still see the shock on Ichigo's face and shook his head. "Don't worry, he didn't hurt me. And I got to slap him, which I've been wanting to do for a while now!"

Ichigo chuckled and pulled Shinji close. "How is it that you manage to be so strong?"

"I don't, I'm just a good faker," Shinji brushed Ichigo's hair back and smiled. "Anyway, I don't need a man to be happy. You know that."

"Yeah, I just thought maybe you had something with that guy. You _did_ seem really happy."

Shinji tilted his head and thought back on the last couple of weeks. "I was, Ichi. Story of our lives though, right? Seemingly great guys screwing us over all the time."

Ichigo nodded, leaning into Shinji's arm and muffling his response. "I really liked him, Shin."

Shinji couldn't help sighing, squeezing Ichigo with another hug. "I know."

"I smell, don't I?" Ichigo asked randomly, breathing in Shinji's scent and realizing he likely wasn't quiet as _fresh_.

"Just a little," Shinji giggled and stood Ichigo up. "Want me to run you a bath, or are you feeling stable now?"

"Ugh.." Ichigo swayed a little and shook his head. "I'm just going to shower. I don't want to pass out and drown or something dumb like that."

Shinji nodded. "Let me know if you need anything. I'll be just out here," The blond stepped toward the door and watched Ichigo for a moment as he struggled to pull the shirt over his head. Shinji knew he probably needed help, but Ichigo would rather do it himself in a pained way than admit to needing a hand. Shinji shook his head and pulled the door most of the way closed, then rooted around in the kitchen to find some tea.

Once a kettle was set to boil water, Shinji wandered into Ichigo's bedroom to find some clean underwear and then stepped into the bathroom real quick to set them on the counter with the sweater he brought over. It was sort of an inside joke for them that they'd take turns using the sweater and share it in times of need. Whenever one or the other was upset, they'd make sure the hurting one was able to wear it. It was, without a doubt, the most comfortable sweater on the planet, both of them agreed.

Shinji grabbed the bag of groceries and left the bathroom to put them away. What he planned to do when he came over was to distract Ichigo, and that was still on the table, but he had a feeling Ichigo needed more than just lame reality television and cold treats. Though the latter of the two was probably still going to be effective. Once the tea was done, Shinji set the pot and two cups on a tray, then brought it to Ichigo's room where he was sure Ichigo would go first once he was out of the shower. Shinji safely placed the tray on a table and sat on the bed.

After waiting there for a while, Shinji rolled over and he could swear he smelled something familiar. Curiously, he dug through the messy blanket beneath him then pulled out a dark, long sleeved shirt that was tangled within. He brought it to his face and sniffed once before confirming that it was the source of the smell, it wasn't a bad one either. Not only that, the reason he recognized the cologne was because it was Grimmjow's. Shinji may have only met him a couple of times, but it was distinct and very much the blunet's style. Shinji shook his head and stared at it for a moment before deciding to put it away. He wasn't exactly hiding it, but he figured that Ichigo wasn't going to get over this any faster if he was sleeping with Grimmjow's shirt.

Once the deed was done, Shinji heard the water stop in the bathroom and hurried toward the bed, flopping on it and laying back. A few minutes later, Ichigo walked into the room with the sweater covering his top half, hanging long enough to nearly conceal the boxers he wore beneath.

"Mmm," Ichigo hummed, walking toward the tea and pouring some into a cup. "Shinji you're the best."

"Aw, Ichi. I know that."

Ichigo smirked and sat on the edge of the bed, sipping the tea for a moment and looking over the cup at his friend. "So what'd you do?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Shinji couldn't even stop the giggle when it came out.

Ichigo's eyes narrowed. That giggle was trouble. "You're about as nonchalant as a spooked horse in a china store. What'd you do while I was in there?"

"Nothing, promise!"

Ichigo stood and placed the cup on the desk before wandering around the room. Shinji watched him closely, biting his lip as Ichigo checked random things to be sure they were in their place. Then Ichigo stopped and stared toward the bed.

"Shinji," Ichigo said in a warning tone, his feet carrying him slowly toward the bed. "Where did you put the shirt?"

"What shirt?" Shinji swallowed and backed up on the bed. "Don't you have a million of those?"

"I'm not kidding, Shinji. Where is it?" Ichigo lifted a knee onto the mattress and leaned over his friend, dark eyes meeting scared ones. Shinji squirmed and continued to giggle.

"I don't know what you mean, Ichi but you can have my shirt if you want," Shinji made a motion to lift his shirt when Ichigo dipped lower until their noses touched.

"Tell me," Ichigo growled. "Or else-"

"Or else?" Shinji whispered, a careful challenge that he knew Ichigo would take.

In all their years of friendship there was always a certain understanding between them. Something they had carried over from a time when they decided they weren't going to try dating because it was just too weird. Nevertheless, whatever happened between them, _didn't _happen. It wasn't as if they denied it, not to themselves or each other. They never took advantage of the connection, but both Ichigo and Shinji knew when it was needed. Ichigo was hurting and Shinji, while less honest about it, was too. It couldn't be helped that they needed a break, but that didn't mean Ichigo would want to complicate things. Something honest and sweet was all he needed, it was clear in his eyes, and Shinji could see it before he crossed the room.

Ichigo sat to consider Shinji's question, studying the blonds face before fixing his gaze on his parted lips. "Shinji. Can I..?"

"Why even ask?" Shinji curled a hand behind Ichigo's neck and lured him in, pulling until he felt the warmth of Ichigo's lips.

The two of them sighed into the kiss and Ichigo's body draped over Shinji's, not pushing or rushing but just feeling him close, breathing him in and focusing on his taste.

Shinji's hand pushed into Ichigo's hair, drawing a soft, sensual sound from Ichigo. He parted his thighs just a bit, allowing Ichigo to rest between without urging for more or even rocking his hips. The two just lay still but for the brushing of their lips. Hardly any tongue came into play until after a few long minutes as the two grew short of breath. Ichigo withdrew with a small pant, turning his head and laying it on Shinji's shoulder. Shinji smiled and lay back, feeling the rhythm of Ichigo's heart beating steadily against his chest.

Like drifting on a cloud, Shinji let the moments pass without marking any of them with significant thoughts. Ichigo's kiss had always had that sort of strange effect and it was nice for the rare times when they indulged. Ichigo was the perfect kisser in his opinion, just the right amount of sweet and aggressive, more demanding with his body language than with his mouth. Shinji did love the occasional hard rut, but when it was him and Ichigo, everything was gentle and slow. They hadn't ever shared much more than kisses, but that had always been enough.

Ichigo would always say that if they crossed that final line, there was no going back, and neither of them wanted their relationship to change. What was best about it was that they both agreed. Shinji never tried to push and Ichigo was the same. They were there for each other with emotional and sometimes physical support, which was what they needed right now.

Shinji lifted a hand to touch Ichigo's resting face and smiled. He was asleep, soundly it seemed. That meant he'd fulfilled his purpose for the day. Now Shinji just had to figure out how to keep Ichigo going until the pain eased enough to bear on his own.

* * *

><p>Grimmjow lay awake, slumped on the couch with a sock in one hand and dark rimmed eyes staring blankly at the wall in front of him. The sock was all he'd managed to take off since he came home the night before. Questions and concerns about his job were forefront on his mind, but it all came back to Ichigo.<p>

The papers Ilforte gave him were crunched on his lap, read and reread a dozen times until Grimmjow realized he had few options. If he took the information in to Sosuke, he'd likely please the man in showing that there was, in fact, something going on underneath the busy bar. Doing so would almost undoubtedly bring trouble to Ichigo, his family and close friends if Sosuke decided he didn't like what was going on. Grimmjow still had little understanding of the situation and wasn't sure why Sosuke was so interested in what lie beneath Benihime's. Most of his jobs came from clients Sosuke had and were unrelated to Sosuke's direct interests, but this one was obviously personal, or at least close to home. Sosuke hadn't ever pressured Grimmjow like this or even threatened him with an ultimatum.

Now, Grimmjow had to ask himself if his false relationship with a guy he'd only known for a couple of weeks was worth risking everything he had. Even if by some miracle Ichigo took him back, would they even last? Would the trouble of earning his trust back result in just another let down? Grimmjow sighed, watching the paper in his lap rustle a little from the soft breeze. He did enjoy his comfortable life and preferred not to have to go job hunting. That and all the other things he might have to change by leaving Seven, assuming he made it out alive. It seemed one hell of a price to pay, but the reward was getting to see Ichigo's smile once more, to have comfortable, lazy life with a person that put real effort into caring and being there for him. Grimmjow wanted to give the same back to Ichigo, to do things right for once in a relationship and show Ichigo that he could be honest and trustworthy.

Ichigo's face full of tears yesterday evening had proven that the tangerine really did care and put all of his trust into hopes that things would turn out for the best. Grimmjow had ruined that in a way that seemed impossible to fix. He was going to have to choose a side and he knew he had to visit Sosuke to deliver the news.

It didn't even really seem like a choice, there was only one life he could pick.

* * *

><p>Ichigo smiled around an orange popsicle and pulled it back, smacking a hand over Shinji's head. "Stop looking at me with that perverted gaze."<p>

Alarmed, Shinji just about choked on his own frozen treat. "What? I was just thinking how much better you looked now that you're showered and rested."

"Yeah, uh huh."

Shinji smiled, Ichigo knew him all too well.

"How do you always know exactly what I need when things are shitty?" Ichigo asked, disposing of the popsicle stick before sitting back down on the floor between Shinji's legs. He laid back, letting his head rest on his friends lap.

Shinji dropped a hand down to flick Ichigo's hair. "M'jus good lie' tha'," he said, not removing the popsicle to speak. He angled his head back so nothing would drip on Ichigo's head, but the position was proving to be rather dangerous. "Ishi. Hey, you godda mofe."

"No," Ichigo turned his chin up to see Shinji above him, drooling around a purple chunk of ice. "Suck that up! I'll kill you if it gets in my hair."

Shinji frowned and swallowed what he could before pulling it out of his mouth to speak properly. "I told you move. These are so good. It's almost like.." Shinji giggled and Ichigo squinted up at him.

"What's so funny?"

"It's just that me with a popsicle," Shinji licked a drop from the edge before it could drip anywhere. "Is kind of like you when sucking cock!"

Ichigo covered his shock with an angry glare, but the blush on his cheeks gave him away. "That's not true!"

"Yeah," Shinji conceded. "I imagine you aren't quiet as messy as I am."

"Shinji!" If it had been Renji, Ichigo might have punched the guy right in the gut. The blond was lucky Ichigo knew he wasn't the violent type.

"What?" Shinji squawked, waving his dripping popsicle stick around. "It's just the truth. There's nothing wrong with being good at that, or enjoying it like you do."

"Th-that's not the point!" Ichigo rolled over to hide his face in Shinji's shirt and brought his sweater covered hands up to shield whatever wasn't hidden. "You're an ass," he said halfheartedly. "And how do you know that I'm good?"

"I guess I don't, but you can't be that bad if you have so much fun doing it," Shinji reasoned. "You could always show me if you think maybe I don't believe you," Shinji smiled when Ichigo further buried himself in his shirt. The blond lured his friend out of hiding and touched his hair fondly. "I'm just playing. You know you don't have to be embarrassed about that stuff with me."

Ichigo looked upward, catching Shinji's smiling face, but seeing that the expression didn't quite reach his eyes. He remembered Shinji was hurting too and sighed. Yet again, he couldn't help his loved ones or be strong enough to ease their pain. His heart sank further and he wrapped his arms around Shinji's waist, hugging him close and pressing his face into his chest. "I love you, Shin. You know that, right?"

Shinji barely managed to set the sticky popsicle stick aside before reaching down to keep himself from falling over from Ichigo's sudden weight on him. Ichigo may have tolerated Shinji's particularly clingy way of showing he cared, but Shinji had never known his friend to act the same way toward him. Other than on specific occasions. "I love you too, Ichi, but why wouldn't I know that?"

Ichigo shook his head and sat up, taking Shinji's hands in his own. "It's just that you…you, Renji and Tensa are everything to me. I can't even imagine where I'd be if you three hadn't been such good friends through the years," Ichigo squeezed Shinji's hands and looked up to see he was tearing up.

"Dang it, Ichi, you're gonna make me cry."

"Sorry," Ichigo tugged on Shinji's arms, bringing him into a hug. "Should I give you the sweater now since you're the one that's upset?"

Shinji laughed and shook his head, "Nah, I think you still need it."

"We should just both wear it." Ichigo tugged on the sweater as Shinji withdrew from the hug. "This thing is big enough to fit the two of us _and_ Tensa in it."

"Oh, I think I like the sound of that," Shinji winked.

"Great, I've given you terrible ideas again."

"Damn right you have," Shinji dropped back on the carpet and stretched out his legs. "I bet you've got all kinds of dirty things on that mind of yours, don't you?"

Ichigo scoffed and rolled his eyes. Of course he did. Problem was, they always centered around Grimmjow.

* * *

><p>"Drunk, you say?" Zan flicked his eyes between his lover and Kensei, then crossed his arms. "And you aren't sure what the reasoning is?"<p>

"I believe it has to do with the group of men Ichigo, Shinji and your son have been dating the last month or so," Kensei answered, "A couple of the guys and I had some suspicions about them, but the point seems moot now that they've broken up."

"You had suspicions and yet never mentioned this to us?" Kisuke gave the white haired man a disapproving frown. It wasn't like Kensei to withhold something like that. "I imagine Hyori is livid."

"I don't think that she knows yet," Kensei cleared his throat and stared ahead, despite the guilt he felt for not saying something sooner. It did put up a flag that Grimmjow had been familiar to them, but he hadn't believed at the time that it would matter. It still didn't seem like much.

Kisuke tsked and turned away. "I haven't seen that boy so upset in a long time. Broken up or not, that relationship meant a lot to him. Either that, or something else happened. It seems a little extreme that the three of them would part ways with their boyfriends all at the same time."

"We still aren't sure that's happened," Zan pointed out. "My son hasn't appeared to be any less than cheerful lately. I'd find it hard to believe he'd been through a break up without me knowing it."

Kisuke turned back to Zan and studied him for a moment. "I guess so. Tensa may not overreact like Ichigo did, but it would have been obvious if he were upset. When he came in for payment this morning, it didn't seem anything was wrong at all."

"So what do you suppose happened with Ichigo?" Isshin spoke for the first time, barely gritting out the words. Not only was he pissed at his son for making a fool of himself at his work place, but it truly annoyed him to know that Grimmjow had managed to slip under the radar as a perfectly nice guy. He may not have known what happened between Grimmjow and his son, but he knew for sure that Ichigo hardly ever drank, and when he did, it was reluctant at best. He turned to Kensei. "Have you done checks on any of those three men?"

Kensei shook his head. "I haven't had names to start with, and as you can imagine, looks aren't the easiest to search by. Blue hair may be uncommon, but with little to no contact with the other side, it's hard to be sure of anything at this point."

"Grimmjow Jaegerjaques," Isshin said flatly. "That's his name."

"If I remember correctly, Tensa is dating an albino man by the name of Shiro," Zan added, "I'm unsure about Shinji's acquaintance."

"It's somewhere to start," Kisuke put in. He nodded to Kensei. "See what you can do. I know that lazy ass isn't the easiest to communicate with, but if we're dealing with trouble here, I'd like to know before it's too late."

* * *

><p>In the span of twenty minutes, Tensa found himself back on Shiro's lap with the albino sitting pressed against the only bare area of the wall. Shiro had one leg raised to keep Tensa steady, and the other bent, tucked beneath it. Shiro had miraculously managed to keep his pants on, but somewhere along the line Tensa had lost his own, all due to the intense teasing and grinding Shiro insisted on until he worried his most precious bits might bruise. Two pale hands were planted on Tensa's behind, slightly curling into the bottom of each leg of his underwear with pale fingertips tickling lightly as the brunet tried his hardest not to laugh.<p>

Shiro's lips lingered over Tensa's collarbone, which sat level with his eyes in the raised up position Tensa was in. He gave it a gentle kiss and slowed the tickling movements of his hands to further press them beneath the thin fabric of the tiny, royal blue briefs Tensa wore. All it took was a spare glance downward to see that despite having his nether regions tickled, Tensa was still very much aroused, which wasn't all that shocking since the better part of the last half hour had been spent teasing each other into near insanity.

Tensa exhaled across Shiro's hair and lifted both hands to sift into it, tilting Shiro's head back so that it pressed against the wall and his face was upturned. Shiro could see that Tensa wanted to speak, but was struggling with the words.

"This is it, isn't it?" Tensa asked, reaching down to cup his own erection and slowly pull back a fold of his underwear to free it from its confines. Shiro found it hard not looking down immediately, not wanting Tensa to think he'd lost interest in what he was saying, but wanting badly to _see_ him. Had Tensa really said he was nervous about this earlier? He looked anything but timid now.

"I can speak without the attention of your eyes," Tensa said with a chuckle, releasing Shiro's hair. Shiro's chin dropped and golden eyes darkened quickly at the sight.

"What I mean to imply is this is the turning point," Tensa explained. "I guess my actions already gave away my choice, but I want you to know that I don't feel like I'll regret becoming close to you like this."

Shiro lifted his head again and smiled with perhaps a little too much of that lust still lingering in his expression. "Does that mean?"

"I make no promises as to how far we'll go, but I am certain that I want to finish with you in some way," Tensa twisted to put a hand on Shiro's knee behind him, urging it to drop. Shiro did as Tensa wanted and straightened both his legs, allowing Tensa room to scoot back and…apparently put a hand on himself again.

Tensa bit his lip, fighting the blush every step of the way as he stroked himself for a long moment. When he was sure that Shiro's panting was because of the show, he let himself go and sat back on Shiro's thighs far enough to finish undoing the zipper on Shiro's jeans that he'd started working on much earlier. When Tensa rose on his knees, lifting his weight from Shiro's lap, Shiro took the hint and jerked his loosened pants down until they bunched around his thighs. Shiro growled after a moment of struggling and left them there, taking Tensa's hips in his hands and pulling the brunet back down, carefully onto his lap.

Shiro wasn't sure what to go for first, sifting both hands into the back of Tensa's briefs and squeezing his soft behind before withdrawing and rubbing them up and down Tensa's warm thighs. Tensa was smiling, looking down and dragging slow fingers over the hardness he could see pent up beneath Shiro's boxers. He nudged the opening in the shorts a little, slipping a finger in and watching Shiro's eyes roll back when he gently stroked the straining member.

Shiro had had just about enough of the waiting, teasing and patience. He batted Tensa's taunting hand aside and pulled himself out of his boxers, not noticing the blush that crossed the brunets face as he did so.

Tensa, with his eyes pinned down on their two now very close members, swallowed and shifted closer, wrapping a hand around the two and simultaneously planting a kiss on Shiro's gasp-parted lips. Shiro continued to moan into the heated affection with every motion Tensa made, squeezing them together softly and rubbing his smooth hand from base to leaking tip.

Shiro's fingers delved into the back of Tensa's underwear again, this time seeking a specific target. Both hands pulled pliable cheeks apart and then searched between, allowing one daring finger to prod at an area he was sure he'd never get the chance to touch in such a way. Tensa squirmed from the attention, but didn't necessarily aim to move away. When Shiro paused, the brunet dipped his head for another kiss and murmured a soft plea for him not to stop. Shiro wasn't about to think twice and sought out the tight opening once more, circling it with a fingertip with Tensa shuddering in his arms.

"How long has it been?" Shiro asked, lifting right hand to his lips while his other kept teasing to distract the brunet.

Tensa's hands paused in the slow stroking of their erections and his face flushed, eyes falling low. "I honestly can't say. A couple of years, at least."

Shiro wasn't sure whether to be offended that nobody was taking advantage of Tensa's fantastic body, or if he should be excited that he would be the first in years, hopefully, to penetrate it.

"Oh," Tensa said suddenly, eyes gleaming as Shiro's erection pulsed another clear stream of pre-come out onto his hand. "Does it turn you on knowing that?"

"Hell yes it does!" Shiro remarked, blushing a tad when Tensa chuckled under his breath. "Is there something wrong with findin' your tight ass incredibly sexy?"

Tensa shook his head in a flurry of mussed, wavy hair, and then abandoned a chaste kiss on Shiro's nose. "No, but I suppose I should find some proper lube if you've already got your hopes up."

"I think you _know _what's up right now Tensa," Shiro had a look so grave, Tensa couldn't help but laugh again.

"I'll be right back then, unless you think you can't handle my departure for a couple of seconds?" Tensa smiled, clearly amused by the albino, but Shiro was otherwise interested in their laps, where both their still straining needs were still brushing together gently.

"I'll take that as a maybe," Tensa said and lifted himself slowly before turning to fetch what he needed from the bedroom. He couldn't help the slight skip in his step as he neared the dresser where he kept said lube, and eyed the container, thoroughly glad that for once in as long as he could remember, he wouldn't be using it alone.

* * *

><p><strong><span>AN:**

I suspect I'll be thoroughly mauled with rocks in the near future.

Bring a seatbelt for chapter twelve.

Just saying.


	12. Sloth

Note: Here's yet another reminder that this is an M rated story for _plenty_ of reasons.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twelve: Sloth.<strong>

**Or**

**Wag The Dog.**

* * *

><p>It occurred to Tensa that they should probably move to the bedroom. Or the couch. Or really anywhere that was more comfortable than a couple of blankets on a hardwood floor. Thing is, with Shiro's head moving between his legs and three fingers pressing into him just underneath, it was clear that he wasn't going anywhere for a while, and he was fine with that. In truth, all he could manage to do was breathe, and that was a bare thing in itself.<p>

A pale hand moved up Tensa's thigh before halting at his hip, squeezing but not pushing. Tensa may have been nearly overwhelmed, but he could control himself enough to keep from bucking up into Shiro's eager mouth. Thus far, anyway.

Shiro was sprawled out on his stomach, his golden eyes closed to focus on the task, and lips making the occasional noise as he pulled his head back steadily. Tensa was never sure what to expect from Shiro, but in all of his fantasies, he imagined this sort of thing would be anything but soft, anything but slow, and certainly not in any way _sweet_. Even still, Shiro's actions, however lewd and skillful, were wholly indicative of care for Tensa personally.

Prying open his lidded eyes, Tensa peered at Shiro just as the man came up, smirking at him with beautifully flushed and wet lips. In a quick but not quite rough movement, the brunet guided Shiro down on his back so that he could crawl on top and then reach back for the slick erection prodding at his backside. Tensa heard Shiro gasp as he gripped him and pressed a calming kiss on his lips. Shiro's warm hands slid from Tensa's sides to his hips, carefully pulling him downward to take him in.

It hadn't hurt, not like Tensa thought it would, and though he knew he should take it slow, it couldn't be helped that the instinct to sit down on it fully took over all logical sense. The result was a long stretch of moments spent with fluttering, rolled back eyes and a soothing string of words from Shiro murmured against his lips. As the brunt of the pain subsided, Tensa gave a slight nod and rocked forward, near to the point of allowing Shiro to slide out, and then sat back again, taking him in with a strangled moan.

Shiro lay panting beneath his lover, doing his best to keep from gripping his waist too hard. To avoid temptation, he moved his hands upward, tracing two paths toward Tensa's neck and then held his face, bringing him forward to kiss away what little breath left he had in him.

Somewhere amongst the soft exchange, Shiro heard his own named called out, pleading and low, and he felt his heart might burst from his chest in response. Sure, he'd had his fair share of pleased lovers, but Tensa's call was different, more than that. Perhaps that was the reason he wrapped his arms around the brunet's body and brought him close, whispering his name, too, before turning them over and positioning himself on top.

Tensa rolled easily, not resisting the switch and actually feeling a bit relieved. He knew that it might have provided him better control to sit upon the other man, but he rather preferred being able to look up and see the way Shiro moved on top of him, rocking into him with his white hair mussed and damp about his face.

The pace was kept relatively the same, slow and searching, filled with gentle caresses and nonsense murmurs of things Tensa only dreamed he'd hear from the other man. Just the way that Shiro moved, methodical but with care in each thrust, and the way that his face would flush when he heard each breathy moan Tensa had to give, every little thing had the brunet teetering on the edge much sooner than he hoped he would be.

But Tensa wouldn't hold back, he'd done enough of that until now. And he found that he hardly had the choice when Shiro's pale hand wrapped around his length. Eagerly quickened strokes nudged Tensa closer to release, and a well-aimed cant of Shiro's hips sent him over the edge, spilling the albino's names from his lips in a repeated string of praise.

Shiro hadn't slowed even when he lost himself to the clench of Tensa's body around him. He just kept on moving, bathing in the sounds of the brunets repeated cries and coming as hard as he'd ever remembered doing before. It wasn't until he was sure he had no more to give that he finally slowed to a halt and then let his arms give underneath him, falling on Tensa as lightly as he could, breathing like he hadn't been able to do so for hours.

* * *

><p>Waking up naked next to his best friend was just one of those things Ichigo had hoped would never happen, but when it did, he wasn't all that surprised, just confused. Ichigo turned on his side, bringing the blanket up to cover his lower half before shaking Shinji's shoulder.<p>

Mumbling, the blond sat up slowly and stretched his arms above his head in a soft yawn. "Huh?" Shinji asked in a sleep worn voice, already sinking back down into the sheets and closing his eyes. Ichigo shook him again and he sighed, looking up at the worried face now hovering over his own. "What's wrong?"

"Shinji…we didn't.."

Shinji cocked a brow and chuckled. "Of course we did."

"No.." Ichigo felt his stomach twisting into knots. On top of everything already happening, there was no _way_ he- was there?

"What do you mean, no?" Shinji tugged the pillow from under him and smacked it over Ichigo's head. "Did you already forget?"

"I didn't forget! I mean, okay, maybe I did. But I thought we were just…why would I…" Ichigo groaned and flopped over with his head falling on Shinji's stomach. "I'm sorry."

After a moment, Ichigo felt Shinji shaking and looked up to see him grinning, wiping an imaginary tear from his eye. "Wha?"

"Did you really believe that I would _let_ you forget having sex with me? As if that would happen when you were less than aware."

"Wait." Ichigo shot up straight. "You were lying?"

"Are you really that surprised?" Shinji pushed Ichigo off and untangled himself from the sheets, bending shamelessly to pick up a discarded pair of boxers. "Besides, if we did, you would remember it."

Ichigo averted his eyes and hugged the sheets around him tighter. "Why are we naked then?"

"I don't know," Shinji shrugged. "When we came to bed it was really hot in here and neither of us wanted to get up."

"So we just stripped…and fell asleep together?" Now that he thought about it, Ichigo vaguely remembered coming to that decision the night before. If his memory was correct, he'd been the first to strip, too. _Hold on a minute_... "You're telling me you slept next to me all night, naked, without molesting me once?"

Shinji turned with both hands patting his hair down and a smile still on his face. "I don't remember saying that I kept my hands to myself."

When Ichigo gaped, Shinji laughed again and walked out of the room. It took Ichigo a full five minutes to regain his composure and put on some underwear before wandering out to the smell of freshly brewing coffee in his kitchen and a still sleepy Shinji with his head in the fridge.

"Hungry," Shinji grunted, eyeing the complete lack of food in Ichigo's refrigerator.

"I don't have to go to work for a couple hours. Want to go out and get some breakfast with me?"

"Sure," Shinji closed the door to the fridge and turned. "Actually, I have some shopping to do so maybe I'll ride with you to Benihime's after we eat. I'll just walk around the area until you're off work. I've got nothing better to do today."

Ichigo nodded and sat down at the kitchen table, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "I'm still not sure I believe you."

"About what?" Shinji tilted his head.

"We must have been lying in bed for an entire twelve hours and we didn't.." Ichigo trailed off, a blush finishing the thought for him.

Shinji came over with two fresh cups of coffee and sat down across from him, He sipped from his own cup for a moment before carefully wording his response. "You know that I want to, Ichi, but I don't think we're ready for that," Shinji was silent for a beat, closing his eyes and smiling. "If and when we are together in that way, I want it to be because of how we feel for each other, not how we felt for the guys we just broke up with."

Shocked for the second time that morning, Ichigo remained silent, hoping the coffee would wake him up enough to form a proper reply.

"Besides, I know you still care for Grimmjow and I'm not the sort that likes to share a guys' heart," Shinji grinned and Ichigo smiled back, setting his cup down before circling the table and pulling the blond up into a tight hug.

Shinji kissed Ichigo's shoulder, moving both hands over his back while as he hugged out the feelings he couldn't manage to say with words.

"You know," Shinji mumbled near Ichigo's neck. "Just because I said that, it doesn't mean I'm a saint. If you keep hugging me like this with your dinky little briefs on…"

Ichigo jumped back and laughed nervously. One of his hands came up to scratch the back of his head as the other dipped to cover the front of his underwear. "Sorry, I still sorta have.."

"I noticed," Shinji grinned. "I take it you want to shower first?"

Ichigo nodded and grabbed his cup to finish off the last few sips of his coffee, sent a lopsided smile at his friend, then wandered into the bathroom.

* * *

><p>A couple of hours later, with a full belly of pancakes, Ichigo shut off his car in Benihime's parking lot and groaned. "I don't want to work today."<p>

"Maybe you could ask for the day off," Shinji suggested with a shrug.

"I think Kisuke would kill me if I did that. I still haven't said sorry about the other night, so I'm sure he's kinda mad."

"You think he actually possesses the ability to be mad?"

"Yeah, it's rare, but it happens," Ichigo said. "A couple weeks ago, I stepped on Yoruichi-san's tail and I think he was more upset about it than the cat was," Ichigo buttoned up his vest and got out of the car, Shinji trailing behind him toward the entrance of the bar.

"Figures that the one thing that upsets him is related to his cat."

"He's just a happy sort of guy, I suppose," Ichigo was surprised when he found the front door already unlocked and stepped inside the bar shouting a "Hello?" to see who had already come in.

"Morning," Zan said, popping up from behind the bar. When the two boys gave questioning looks, he chuckled and explained. "Kisuke's cat saw fit to break another glass. You caught me just as I was finishing up cleaning the mess," Zan wore a tiny smile that Ichigo could only barely see behind the fallen, long bangs over his scruffy face. "Suddenly, I understand why it seems we have to buy new glassware every month," Zan added.

"Explains the constant deliveries, too," Ichigo said.

Zan looked surprised for a moment, but it was so short, only Shinji caught it. The elder brunet pushed the dark glasses that were over his eyes up into his hair before recovering with "Indeed."

Ichigo picked a stool in front of the bar and Shinji sat down next to him. "How come you're here so early? I thought I was supposed to open up today."

"Kisuke asked me to come in and tend to some paperwork this morning. I didn't realize that he was referring to _all_ of the paper work for the last couple of months until it was too late." Zan turned to discard some broken glass and brought out a broom to sweep up the smaller bits. "I figured I had time for a drink before you got here to open. It would seem that Yoruichi-san was acting in Kisuke's favor when she robbed me of even that pleasure."

The two boys chuckled and Zan's scowl lifted slightly.

"So is there an explanation behind your glum looks, gentlemen?" Zan asked, tucking the broom away and preparing himself another drink, not at all concerned about customers. It was still early yet, so it wasn't likely for anyone to show up for another couple of hours. It was only by Kisuke's request ('You never know when someone needs a drink!') that they opened up the bar so soon in the day.

Ichigo was silent, still trying to figure out how Zan had taken his smile for something entirely different, but Shinji spoke up on his behalf.

"We both just got out of relationships."

"Perhaps I should be serving you two drinks then, instead of myself," Zan circled the bar to sit on a stool next to Ichigo and cast a questioning glance at the silent redhead. "Is this the same relationship that brought you to my house the other night?"

Ichigo nodded slowly and sighed.

"What a shame, Ichigo. I had been hearing from both customers and employees here that you've been more upbeat than ever in the last few weeks."

"I'm sorry to say that won't be the case for a while. The same is probably going to be true of your son," Ichigo stared guiltily at the counter and curled his hands into loose fists. "It's all my fault, too. I told him to open up with Shiro. I honestly thought.. I thought that asshole was different," Ichigo growled. It was clear he wasn't exactly referring to just Shiro.

Zan raised an eyebrow. "All three of you, in and out of relationships at the same time? That's certainly something." It seemed Kensei had been right about that fact, though, and it made Zan curious whether the man had been able to find anything after looking into Shiro and Grimmjow.

"The three of them were friends," Shinji explained. "But we found out that their motivation for being with us wasn't exactly…eh, honest?"

"I see." It was hard for Zan not to push for more on the topic, but he knew it would seem like prying if he did. Anyway, there was no sense in drawing Ichigo and Shinji into it after they had seemingly broken ties with the three suspicious men.

"What did Tensa say, by the way?" Ichigo asked, unable to lift his gaze from the smooth surface of the bar.

"About what?" Shinji frowned.

"About…Fuck, Shinji. You didn't tell him?"

Alarmed, Shinji bit his lip for a moment. "You mean Tensa? No, I thought you would, since you two are closer."

Before Shinji had finished speaking, Ichigo stood up and cursed, startling both the other men with the sudden movement.

"Was I wrong?" Shinji asked, turning to face his panicked friend.

"No, I'm sorry. It's just that I told him to open up to that guy and he still doesn't know the truth," Ichigo started pacing frantically. "What if he told Shiro how he felt? What if…"

Shinji cut Ichigo off before he could finish the thought. "Do you know where he is now?"

Ichigo already had his phone out and shook his head while waiting for Tensa to answer. "Damn it! I'm such a horrible friend," Ichigo started to walk outside, knowing that he couldn't bear both Zan and Shinji's looks as he told Tensa that the first guy he'd opened up to in years was just another scumbag. There was no answer, so Ichigo tried three more times before texting Tensa, asking where he was and if he was okay. As Ichigo turned back to the bar, Zan met his gaze from the doorway, nodding to him slowly as he came to understand the situation.

"Just go, Ichigo. I can tend the bar today," Ichigo stared at him and Zan put a hand on Shinji's arm, lifting the blond from his seat and directing him toward the door where Ichigo stood. "Why don't two make sure my son is okay? Let me know when you have any news, if you could."

They didn't need to be told twice.

Ichigo and Shinji were back in the car in a minute, and on the way to Tensa's when Ichigo let out another loud curse that startled the blond in the passenger seat. "I need to get gas," Ichigo explained, pulling them over to the closest station and hurling the car door open. He rushed out to fill the tank, mumbling to himself that he was sure he had done this just a day ago.

"Wait!" Shinji raised a hand for his attention, but Ichigo was already out of reach, jerking the gas pump out of its place and shoving it into his truck with unnecessary force.

Shinji bit his lip and slid out of his seat, circling around to Ichigo's side. "Ichi, I'm going to tell you something, but you can't freak out."

Ichigo scowled over at him, but didn't respond.

"Okay, so on the way to the bar I noticed there was this weird car following us. I didn't say anything about it because you always tell me I'm being paranoid," Shinji tried his best not to look around, but couldn't help the way his eyes shifted to the strange vehicle parked on the other side of the gas pump Ichigo was using. He lowered his voice and stepped closer to his friend. "But that same car over there followed us here and now they're like five feet away, all staring at us." Shinji gulped and his face paled. "Um, now they're walking over here. What do we do?"

For his part, Ichigo did a stunning job at remaining outwardly calm. He stopped the flow of gas from the pump and put it away, even inserting his credit card and waiting for the receipt while three strange men stepped up behind him. Shinji stared at them over Ichigo's shoulder, holding his breath.

"Ichi.." Shinji whispered.

"I see them," Ichigo answered calmly and turned, finding his face a mere inches away from the broad chest of a man at least a head taller than himself. A rumbling laugh built from that very same chest and tumbled out over Ichigo's ears as he followed the sound up to see a giant grin on the strangers face.

The man had bright orange eyebrows and strange, red tattoos on each of his cheeks. He had no hair but the black ponytail on the back of his head and Ichigo could barely make out the bold lettered 10 peeking out of the man's open jacket on his left shoulder. Behind him stood two darker, equally intimidating men, one of them completely bald with what looked like a shark tooth necklace around his neck, and the other with a silver set of sunglasses hiding his eyes and a thick orange band holding back his braided, almost purple colored hair.

Ichigo could feel Shinji gripping the back of his shirt and wavered, but didn't step back, determined not to look anymore scared than he already did.

"Can we take him now, Kan?" the largest of the three men asked, his enormous grin stretching further on his face while both orange eyebrows waggled at Ichigo in a way that really shouldn't have been possible.

"Be discreet about it," was the answer from Kaname. He turned his head in a different direction while the two other men closed in on Ichigo, arms out and ready to block any sudden movement he made.

Ichigo stared at the large men for a moment, heart pounding in his chest and eyes blinking rapidly.

"Fuck that!" Ichigo suddenly shouted. He grabbed the gas pump and directed the spray straight in the first guy's face before throwing it at him. When he heard the satisfying scream, Ichigo turned and shoved Shinji, encouraging him to run.

Shinji took off as fast as he could, arms pumping at his sides and his legs moving faster than he thought possible. Ichigo was right behind him, sprinting, when he heard a mangled scream.

Shinji stopped with a skid of his feet on the gravel, turning to find Ichigo on one knee, favoring the calf of his right leg.

"Run, Shinji!" Ichigo hollered, but Shinji stood still, staring at his friend on the ground with both hands wrapped around his bloody leg. Ichigo's eyes were wide as could be, staring in shock at the sizeable knife embedded in his calf. Had that guy really just _thrown_ a knife into his leg?

Shinji sent a desperate look at the gas station they'd barely made it ten feet from, wondering why there weren't people watching, why nobody was helping them, and why their cars were the only two at the station. How was all of this happening? What the hell was going on? Shinji screamed for help, hoping somebody would hear, and Ichigo staggered in his direction yelling for him to get away.

"Are you stupid?" Shinji whined, hurrying over and looping an arm under Ichigo's, lifting him up just in time to be tackled to the ground by an unbelievable weight. He heard a thump and a grunt from Ichigo and lifted his head, struggling under the heavy weight of the man that fought to pry his hands off of Ichigo.

Dark arms wrapped around Ichigo's middle and yanked him from Shinji's embrace, dragging him across the lot back toward the gas pumps and parked cars. With his vision darkening near the edges from the blow he'd taken from his fall, Ichigo tried to lever himself away from the man by planting a foot down on the ground, attempting to slow the pace at which he was being dragged. He wailed at the pain in his leg at he put his weight on it but still fought with all of his might against the strange bald man carrying him away. "Let me go!" he shouted, barely managing to breathe with the way the man squeezed his chest tight and hiked him across the pavement to his parked car. Ichigo heard the man rip the door open and then he was shoved in the back, yelping when his shin was banged on the way in.

The door shut as soon as he was inside and Ichigo attacked the handle with a growl, pulling on it only to find that it made no difference. Panicked, he turned to look through the back window and spotted Shinji lying limp on the ground where they'd been jumped, dark red staining his blond hair and streaming down his face onto the pavement. Ichigo screamed for Shinji, screamed for help, for all it was worth. Then it occurred to him that he could break a window and reached down to pull off his shoe, surprised that he had the sense not to punch the glass with his hand. Just as he cocked his arm back, the car shifted with added weight and he turned to see one of the three men scooting in next to him. It was the one that had shoved him in the car.

Ichigo lunged forward, too scared to realize how ridiculous it was to attack a man twice his size with a shoe, but his arm was quickly caught and turned at a painful angle behind his back that wrenched the bone out of the socket with a pop. Blinding pain seared through his arm, all adding to the burn in his leg and the blood trailing from it to wet his sock. It was a wonder he was still conscious, but the moment he opened his mouth for another string of expletives, a damp cloth was pressed against his face. Ichigo had a mere couple of seconds to struggle before everything went dark and he slumped gracelessly against the large man holding him captive.

"I thought I told you to be discreet," Kaname said, seating himself in the passenger seat in the front. There was a slam from the final person loading into driver's side next to him.

"That little fucker sprayed gas in my eyes!" the large man bellowed, starting the car and pulling them out of the station with his eyes still squinting.

"It's a good thing they stopped at one of the few gas stations we already visited," Kaname drawled, either uncaring of the driver's state or uninterested in commenting on it, "Or else Sosuke would have been displeased with the resulting chaos."

"You sound dissatisfied with our tactics, Kan," the man in the back observed, shoving Ichigo's limp form away from him to fall harshly against the opposite window. "It's not like we had many choices. We knew this kid wouldn't give up so easily."

"I just prefer not to have to handle jobs in such a messy manner, Zommari, and you know that," Kaname adjusted his glasses and sat straight in his seat, "We wasted a lot of money paying off those other store owners, and there was no need to injure the boy's friend. Now we can be _sure_ that they will take counter measures."

"Like them assholes wouldn't have come searchin' for him anyway?" the driver said with a snort. "Good thing they don't even know where to start."

* * *

><p>"-ou okay? Can you hear me?"<p>

Shinji blinked at the blurry shadow above him and lifted a hand to his pounding head. Confused, he felt a strange wet lump before he realized something was wrapped around it. His vision never quite cleared, but it did focus a little as he sat up suddenly, all of what had happened rushing back into his mind with a flood of panic.

"Oh shit. Oh my god! Ichigo!" Shinji started to climb to his feet but the strange person held him down and told him not to move. Shinji stared up at them, wondering who the fuck they were for half a second before shoving their hands away and stumbling to his feet. "I have to go. I have to…oh, shit," Shinji's eyes settled on Ichigo's truck with all four of the big tires slashed and completely flat. "Fuck, fuck! Damn it, fuck me!"

Shinji hurried over to the truck and opened the passenger door, grabbing his phone from his seat and dialing the first number he could think of. He kept on mumbling curses under his breath and lifted a hand to pull what he now recognized as somebody's jacket away from his throbbing head. As he stared down at the huge stain of red on its front, Shinji took a deep breath and tossed it away, turning and ignoring the strange man telling him he should be sitting down, insisting that he needed to go to the hospital, among other stupid, logical ideas that Shinji could hardly care about right now.

The person on the other end of the phone finally picked up and Shinji took a moment, breathing heavily and reorganizing his thoughts. What would he even say? He wasn't sure what had just happened or how long he'd been out. He cast a glance at the stranger still standing by him and bit his lip, releasing it immediately when he tasted the bitter tinge of blood on it.

"Zan?" Shinji squeaked. "Fuck. I …Ichigo's gone, someone took him. He's hurt. I don't know where he is. Oh god, I don't have a car, I can't go after him and the tires, Ichigo's tires… they're all flat. I don't know what to do. They just took him!"

Zan told him to calm down and Shinji laughed, a breathy and deranged sound as he closed his eyes and gripped the phone. He heard Zan ask him where he was, if he was okay, if he recognized the ones that took Ichigo. Shinji shook his head, regretting it immediately and felt his lips trembling, eyes already wet with tears.

"I'm at the Oken gas station a couple blocks from the bar. I'm fine. I _think_ I'm fine. My head's bleeding but…just, fucking... Zan, you have to save Ichi." Shinji was gasping now through broken sobs and the stranger had come up behind him to press the jacket to the wound on his head. He winced but didn't push them away. "Those men…I don't know them. I don't know where he is. Please.. please, just hurry."

* * *

><p>"Your phones ringin'," Shiro said. His soft lips pressed against Tensa's ear while his hand brushed the wavy hair from the brunet's face. "Couple times now, they've called. Think it might be important."<p>

Tensa turned his head, looking into golden eyes and smiling sleepily. "I'm sure it can wait."

"I don't know," Shiro paused, eyes fluttering shut when Tensa rolled over and started kissing the three dark spots standing out on his pale neck. "When someone calls that many times, it means they can't wait."

Tensa mumbled something against his skin and lifted a hand, dragging it slowly up Shiro's chest. "Right now, you're more important."

Insistent kisses spread from Shiro's neck to his collarbone, then he felt pressure on this thighs and warm fingers caressing his hips. Tensa's mouth wandered down his body, leaving light swipes of tongue or gentle sucks as his head sank lower and lower.

"After all of that last night, you still want more?" Shiro smirked at his own words. It may have sounded like complaining, but it was far from. "Don't you think it's time you let me spoil you a litt- _nnh!_"

Tensa grinned up at him with one hand closed around Shiro's length. He crawled back up and stole a kiss from his flushed lips. "Who ever said that pleasing you was a chore?"

Shiro groaned letting his head fall back. Worry from the phone calls still tightened his chest, but he felt it melting away with each kiss he was given. Surely, it couldn't have been that important if they gave up after only three calls. Shiro grabbed Tensa's slender hips and turned the brunet around, swallowing a squeak as he closed his lips over cherry pink ones. As much as he would have loved to let Tensa do what he pleased, he felt like something a bit rougher than what they'd done the night before. Shiro grabbed the well-used tube from where it still lay close to them on the floor and wet a hand without a second thought.

Across the room, on a table, drowned out by Tensa's moans and Shiro's hums of approval, the phone started ringing again.

* * *

><p>After receiving Shinji's call, Zan took only his phone and hopped in his car, hurrying to the gas station while sending a call to his lover.<p>

"Taking a break from the paper work, are you?" Kisuke asked by way of greeting.

Zan's smile faltered the moment it came. Had it not been a crisis, he might have taken the time to scold Kisuke for tricking him into doing so much extra work in the morning. "Did you ever make that deal?"

"Deal? Surely you don't mean _that_ deal do you? That was ages ago.."

"Kisuke, this is serious. Please answer me."

"Of course, dear," Zan could hear the sudden shift in Kisuke's voice and knew he got through.

"It was a fragile agreement," Kisuke explained. "But it was made nonetheless. Has something happened?"

"Not too long ago, Ichigo and Shinji were attacked at the Oken gas station. Shinji is still there and injured. He says that Ichigo was also hurt and kidnapped by three strange men. This was all after the two of them confirmed their sudden break ups with these men they've been involved with." Zan cursed when a yellow light in front of him switched to red. He heard Kisuke rustling in the background and assumed he was on his way out of the house. "I'm on the way to pick Shinji up. Do you have any idea where they would take Ichigo?"

"No, but I have some clue where to start," Kisuke hesitated for a moment as he thought about that some more. "I had a feeling he would change his mind eventually, but I didn't think he would involve Ichigo in this. I fear we may have to tell Isshin…in case something happens."

"Contact him if you can. If not, then I'll catch up with him at the hospital." Zan sighed, tapping his fingers impatiently on the wheel. "I think my son may be involved in this, too. Ichigo and Shinji were unable to contact him this morning. If you could-"

"Already on it," Kisuke interrupted. "Just worry about Shinji, I'll sort the rest out."

Zan took a deep breath, hoping his son was safe at home. "I truly hoped that we wouldn't have to deal with this sort of situation again."

"As did I," Kisuke agreed. "It is lucky that I took some measures all those years ago as a precaution. Will you be alright if I go to make some calls? There may still be time yet before Ichigo is further injured and ..I have a feeling this is all because of me."

"Don't do that, Kisuke," Zan scolded. "We've talked about this."

"You know as well as I do that this started with Sosuke and I," Kisuke paused and Zan could hear him swallow. "I guess this time I'll just have to finish it once and for all."

"I would sleep better at night if you did," Zan said softly.

"We all would. I'll talk to you when I've got news." Kisuke ended the call quickly while loading into his car, and dialed out a number he only barely remembered.

"Moshi! Mosh-"

"Where is he?" Kisuke demanded, cutting off the singsong greeting.

"My, but tha's is a voice I haven't heard in years!"

The blond breathed in deeply and closed his eyes. "Where is Ichigo Kurosaki?"

"Up to 'is ears in trouble I'd imagine. All this time an' you aren't interested in how I'm doin'?"

Kisuke bit his tongue and growled. "Is Sosuke still holed up in the broken down shell of _Hogyoku_?"

"That he is, Kis'n'clogs. Right where ya left 'im."

"And is Ichigo with him?" Kisuke pressed.

"Mmm, a good question, that."

Kisuke rolled his eyes, but took it as an affirmative. "Is Coyote aware of the breech in our pact?"

"Willin' ta bet he is. Him an' blondie took me out to dinner the other night, you know?"

"Could you make sure he knows that Ichigo was taken? Also, let me know if you hear anything about a boy named Tensa."

"Absolutely," the man on the other end grinned.

"Thank you again, Gin." Kisuke hung up without awaiting an answer, and at his fourth red light, sent out a text for Isshin and a couple of others to meet up with him at the bar. All it took to get that across was one word, or rather, a name.

_Sosuke_

Half an hour later, Kisuke drove up to Benihime's and passed a couple of familiar cars in the parking lot, glad to see that they arrived in short order. When he walked through the door with a well-placed "Closed" sign, half a dozen worried faces met him there. The blond man took a deep breath before turning a worried gaze to Isshin and making his heavy announcement. "Sosuke is back, and he has taken Ichigo."

The room was in uproar. Every question that had been through Kisuke's mind since he got Zan's call was repeated to him by various voices around the room, and most of them, he had no answer for. The worst, however, was "How could this happen again?"

"I know you are all confused and worried, but please calm yourselves," Kisuke said. "I assure you that this will not be like last time. I have made quite a few most taxing additions to our security and should everything go as it's meant to, we will not have to re-experience the crisis we've once been through." Kisuke took a quick glance around the room. "All of you know your jobs, but I am making a few changes in light of Ichigo and Shinji's unexpected involvement."

Kisuke turned to his left and nodded at Hiyori, who looked half a second from murdering the next person to step within five feet of her. "You will want to be at the hospital for Shinji as soon as you-" Kisuke frowned at the blur of red left by the girls' clothing on her way out. He turned to the rest of the room. "Kensei, you will be canvassing both of your regular check points as well as Hiyori's. I take it you know the locations?"

Kensei nodded and left without a word.

Turning his gaze to Shunsui and Jushiro, Kisuke sighed. "I hoped it wouldn't come to this, but because of the circumstances, I feel our only option is to send you straight into the hornets' nest. With any luck, you'll find some reinforcements within."

The two men nodded and left. All that was left was Isshin.

"I assume you already have your best help prepared for Shinji's arrival?" Kisuke asked.

Isshin nodded gravely. "I called Hachi in, and Unohana is on standby at the hospital for when we find Ichigo."

"Alright," Kisuke touched Isshin's shoulder and guided him to the lift. "Let's see if we can figure out where your son and my step son are."

* * *

><p>Stepping out of his home and seeing Ulquiorra waiting around the corner made Grimmjow's already bad day seem ten times worse. Every time the guy came around, he brought bad news or some sort of argument that Grimmjow was less than interested in having. He debated avoiding the guy all together, but knew he'd catch up eventually.<p>

"What are you doing here?" Grimmjow demanded, leaning one shoulder against the wall Ulquiorra stood near.

"Against my better judgment, I made a decision to tell you some things I believe you should hear."

Grimmjow snorted. "This oughta be good."

A brief look of annoyance washed over Ulquiorra's face, but it was gone just as soon, lost to the emotionlessness mask he so often hid behind. "You know you're going to have to step up your game if you intend to keep your position."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Big surprise, Ulquiorra had come to piss him off again. "Did you come down here just to give me your twisted idea of a pep talk?"

"That would be a waste of time and we both know it." The dark haired man glanced around the area, looking uncharacteristically concerned about others overhearing. "I would not have come if I didn't think this was important."

Grimmjow shifted away from the wall, already tired of the conversation and Ulquiorra's annoying way of drawing conversations out so that he had to ask for the point of the whole thing. "So what is it?"

"Do you not realize that there is much more to your job than exploring your sexuality?"

"What did you just say?" the blunet snarled. Not even Sosuke's pet was allowed to talk to him like that. "Have you been fucking spying on me while I work?"

Ulquiorra lifted a brow. "Are you really so surprised? It seems you're in over your head, Grimmjow. Perhaps you should have allowed someone more fit for the job to take over where you have failed."

"I don't know what the fuck you're trying to tell me here, but Sosuke trusted me with this job, not you. Anyway, you're only rank four. If anything, Starrk or Shiro would have been taking over for me. I highly doubt you're qualified."

"Is that so?" The corners of Ulquiorra's mouth curled just slightly. "It seems to me that the situation is already out of your hands. Or has your precious Sosuke not told you?"

"_My_ precious Sosuke? Tch, that's rich coming from you!" Grimmjow normally had an easier time keeping his cool around Ulquiorra, but he was at his limit with emotional crap and games for the century. "Can you cut out the cryptic shit and just tell me straight what your fucking problem is?"

"Crude as always," Ulquiorra sighed.

"Alright, I don't have to sit around and listen to this." Grimmjow pushed away from the wall and rolled his eyes while passing the other male.

"You may want to hear what I have to say, Grimmjow," Ulquiorra called after him. "It has to do with your recent lover."

Grimmjow spun around so abruptly, he nearly fell on his face, "And what makes you think I give a shit about him?"

"As I have indicated before, I have been watching you, and I believe I can tell when you are pretending. In any case, I'll leave it up to you what you will do with my warning. I only wanted to inform you that Ichigo may be in danger, and you will be too if you don't get your priorities straight," Ulquiorra chuckled at his own joke, something Grimmjow thought he'd never see.

"Are you threatening me? I told you fucks, I'll get the information as soon as I can-"

"The information is irrelevant, as it always has been."

Grimmjow blinked.

For a brief moment, Ulquiorra pitied the blunet. It seemed he really was clueless. "Your assignment is fake, Grimmjow. A test given to you by Sosuke to see if you are up for the task of being promoted in Starrk's place," Ulquiorra waited a moment to let that sink in. "It is also a personal favor for Sosuke disguised as a job."

Grimmjow shook his head in disbelief. "I don't know where all of this is coming from, but I know for a fact that Sosuke's not into that kind of dirty business. If he was, I wouldn't be working for him in the first place."

At that, Ulquiorra laughed. Silent, it may be, but still unbelievable. "My, Grimmjow," he said, clearly amused. "I knew you were in the dark, but I had no idea you were this blind."

In that moment, all of it hit Grimmjow. The gaps in logic for him being picked for this job, how strange it was that he had no clear objective, the amount of pressure Sosuke was putting on him for the entire assignment and lack of information to find and present. Grimmjow had never dared even once doubt Sosuke or his plans. He knew how that sort of foolishness could be trouble, but some of what Ulquiorra was implying was starting to make sense.

"It's true that you and your two buddies have been cut rather generous deals, but the rest of the team is a much different story. We are not allowed to choose with our jobs quite as much as you are," Ulquiorra explained.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Ulquiorra shifted on his feet and waved his hand about vaguely. "Killing, stealing, forced se-"

"Bullshit!"

"I assure you that I am not lying. I have no motivation to do such a thing."

"And what motivation would you have for even telling me this, assuming its true?" Grimmjow jabbed a finger at the other man. "You've wanted me off the team from the beginning, so why would you be helping me now? You're probably just lying to get me in trouble!"

"Do not mistake my intentions; I do prefer you to be gone. However, you are a necessary part of the team, and would be hard to replace with somebody equally as.." Ulquiorra hesitated and pursed his lips. "Useful. Though I suppose it's unlikely you'll stick around now that you have some slight insight on Sosuke's true character," Ulquiorra sighed and glanced at his watch.

"Let's say I actually believe this crap you're giving me," Grimmjow shoved his hands in his pockets, clenching his jaw. "Why would Ichigo be in trouble? And what makes you think this job is a test?"

"I don't think it is, I know. Sosuke has spoken to me directly about it. He decided to check in an old acquaintance, attempt breeching the security of his establishment. It seems this individual has something to hide and Sosuke wanted to know if even his best would be capable of unveiling it."

"Which is where I come in," Grimmjow added. "But so what?"

"That establishment is the filthy little bar you've been spending so much time in. The same place that Ichigo works. Now, it would seem that Sosuke picked Ichigo as a target, guessing that because his father was involved, he would be too. It may _seem_ like that was somewhat of an oversight on Sosuke's part, but the result is the same. Due to an old disagreement Sosuke has had with the very same group of individuals running that bar, he intended to lash out at them in an act of revenge."

How very cryptic of Ulquiorra to word it that way. Grimmjow snorted and rolled his shoulders. "What's that got to do with Ichigo? It doesn't seem like he knows anything about this secret…or whatever it is."

"In truth, I do not believe he does either. I suspect that is exactly why he was assigned to you. Sosuke knew that you would be unable to uncover anything through Ichigo, but he was not fully interested in a secret to begin with, only his revenge."

"So he…" Grimmjow shook his head. No, that was just ridiculous. He _couldn't_… "He wanted me to hurt Ichigo to get back at his old friend?"

"I see you are starting to understand."

Just like that, Grimmjow was seeing red. Sosuke had used and manipulated him all this time? He'd been fooled into thinking that this assignment was just about promotion, and maybe it still was, but in the process, Grimmjow had stepped over the lines he'd so carefully drawn in the past. He never meant to hurt someone as truly as he did Ichigo, and what pissed him off the most was that he was to blame for making it so easy. Regardless, he was in this situation because of Sosuke.

"What the hell?" Grimmjow turned to face the wall, pressing his palms to it and glaring at the ground. "I have to find Ichigo. He shouldn't have been involved in this."

"You may try, but I am sure that he has already been taken."

"Shit," Grimmjow turned away from the wall again, one hand already pulling the keys from his pocket.

_Taken._

As in he's probably already hurt. Or dead.

Grimmjow swallowed. "You don't know where he is?"

"I do not."

"Who took him?"

Ulquiorra sighed. "I am not sure."

"Fuck!" Grimmjow took off in a full speed run, unlocked his car and threw himself in. He wasn't sure where to go first but he knew sooner or later he was going to find that bastard Sosuke.

* * *

><p>Cold, hard concrete was the first thing Ichigo felt when he woke. Lying against it with his eyes still shut, he could feel the warmth being pulled from his body and drawn into the stone. Distantly, he felt wet, almost slimy, and then the pain registered.<p>

A sharp, lancing pain straight through the middle of Ichigo's calf was only the beginning, and his eyes flew open only to immediately clamp shut. Sweat and blood burned in his eyes and he lifted a hand to rub it away, only to find his palm and fingers were stained with much the same. Ichigo groaned and blindly pushed himself up from the ground, crawling onto his hands and knees when another ache made itself present. With what felt like a thousand tiny shards of glass shifting under his skin around the socket of his left shoulder, Ichigo collapsed to the ground and cried out loudly at the pain.

In the following minutes, with his eyes still shut, Ichigo made note of other areas that hurt. His ankle throbbed, possibly twisted. The side of his head ached and still bled, which explained the blood caked on his face, still lazily seeping from the wound and dripping into his eye. Besides the shoulder and leg wound, nothing else stood out as serious except for the dull ache of bruising near the ribs on his left side.

Ichigo shifted a hand down to grab at his shirt and lifted it over his face to rub his eyes clean on the collar. After a moment of struggling and grunting at the pain it caused in his shoulder, he managed to blink his eyes open and glance around at where he was. Two concrete, building walls created a dank, filthy alley around him. The rancid stench of a dumpster wafted from behind him, and in front of him, Ichigo could see two burly, somewhat familiar men guarding the only escape from the dead end passage. When he thought hard enough, Ichigo remembered being tossed there, but all of his injuries save the one on his head, leg and shoulder didn't offer any explanations for how they got there.

They must have beaten him up while he was unconscious, which was just great.

Ichigo knew he was in poor shape and couldn't guess where he was based on his surroundings. He had to assume that no amount of screaming or yelling would save him, and the men nearby wouldn't likely hesitate to beat the hope out of him. As much as it pained him to think it, his only option was to wait for help. But would anybody come? The only one to see him taken was Shinji and his last glimpse at the blond… Ichigo cursed and rolled on his side, careful not to disturb his leg or dislocated arm.

"Hey," Ichigo called weakly, clearing his voice and finding his throat to be terribly dry. "Hey, Humpy and Dumpty!" he shouted.

"The fuck did you say?" one of the guys at the end of the alley turned, taking a few steps closer. "Look at this kid," he said to Zommari. "He still hasn't had enough."

Ichigo smirked, a gnarly expression with blood and dirt smeared on his face. "As much as I'd love to see what other fucked up things you guys can do to me, I'm just wondering something, if you wouldn't mind answering?"

"Sure, let's hear it."

"Well," Ichigo coughed and held out a hand, signaling the men to wait for a moment. Once he was sure that he could speak, Ichigo lifted his head as much as he could manage and connected gazes with the closer of the two men. "I just wanted to ask if you guys knew someone named Grimmjow."

* * *

><p>Grimmjow threw the heavy hotel doors open, bypassing the two men guarding the inner entrance and charging down the hall. "Sosuke!" he shouted and tore the office door open to cross the room, slamming two hands down on the middle of the man's desk.<p>

Sosuke sat relaxed in his pure white suit, neither wrinkle nor crease in the sleek fabric, and not the slightest of hint in his expression that he was at all worried about the destructive male now steaming over his work area. "You're displeased, Grimmjow."

"You're damn fucking right I'm displeased!" Grimmjow spat.

"So sit, tell me what has upset you," Sosuke motioned to the couch behind the blunet with a casual wave.

"No," was the petulant response.

"Suit yourself."

"Where's Ichigo?" Grimmjow hadn't called the tangerine because he knew he wouldn't pick up, and it would only be a waste of time. In light of that, there was no real way to be sure Ichigo was unharmed without going straight to the source. Or at least, the source of his possible harm.

Grimmjow had already planned to tell Sosuke off for involving him with a target (Ichigo) that had no real idea what was going on. He also planned on attempting to somehow explain his way out of the team, but was unsure at the time about how to do it. Now, with Ulquiorra's information, Grimmjow felt more confident about the decision and was all too eager to storm in there and give the brunet a piece of his mind.

Sending Grimmjow on a pointless goose chase was one thing, but _screwing_ with him, _that_ was unacceptable. What's worse, Grimmjow's friends were just as blind to Sosuke's true intentions, which meant that the three of them, Grimmjow, Nnoitra and Shiro, were all being played with like toys.

"Where _is_ he?" Grimmjow repeated, practically spitting in Sosuke's face.

"Isn't it your job to see to his whereabouts?" Sosuke chuckled. "That's what I'm paying you for, is it not?"

"That's what I used to think," Grimmjow growled. "Now I know better," His elbows bent as he leaned over the desk, not quite reaching Sosuke's face, but coming close enough to ruffle his hair with a heavy breath. "You and your merry band of bastards have been lying to me, probably all of us. Sending us out like dogs to fetch your information while you sat back here counting your money with no enemies made. Did you expect me never to figure out what this assignment was actually for?"

"I imagine you wouldn't have, had somebody not leaked the truth to you," Grimmjow removed his hands from the desk and Sosuke straightened the mess he left, reorganizing the piles he had so perfectly arranged. "I assume you won't be revealing the identity of the snitch to me."

Grimmjow rounded Sosuke's desk and took a strong grip on his tie. He yanked him forward in his seat and bent so that they came nose to nose. "You're going to tell me where Ichigo is or I'll use the gun you so willingly provided for me to _castrate_ you right here." It was technically an empty threat because, in truth, Grimmjow hadn't brought the weapon with him, but Sosuke didn't need to know that, and he didn't need a gun to make that threat a reality.

"Goodness, I had no idea you were this attached," Sosuke snickered and lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Tell me, did he truly dominate you in the bedroom, or was that all hearsay?"

_Okay, Nnoitra was going to die for letting that one slip,_ but first- Grimmjow wound an arm back, so fucking ready to crack Sosuke in the skull as hard as he could with a bare fist, and the only reason he didn't-

Actually, he couldn't think of a reason not to. Six years of no questions asked, yes sirs and being led by the nose, deceiving and acting as anyone, _everyone_ but himself. Grimmjow had had enough.

_CRACK._

Sosuke fell back in his chair hard, his back impacting with the rear of the seat and arms flying up in the air in a failed attempt to catch himself on the desk. He rolled over on his side and got to his feet in quick order, but Grimmjow could see that his eyes were dazed and his hair was ruffled, suit now riddled with awkward creases that bunched up in strange places.

"That," Sosuke started, straightening his clothing and hair in but a moment before dipping a hand into one pocket and coming back with not a weapon, but his phone. "That is not a mistake you will make twice," The brunet turned his hand to show the phone with a connected call and then nodded his head in the direction of the still open door behind Grimmjow.

Grimmjow hadn't completely turned around when a fist went skimming past his face, just barely missing his nose. He ducked, but too late, and another hand came flying behind it. Grimmjow only scarcely managed to slow the progression of the punch by bracing a hand on the attackers forearm, but the fist still connected with his right brow, knocking him back a little with the force.

There was only one man Grimmjow knew that was cheap enough to take such a blind shot from behind.

"Kenpachi" The name left Grimmjow as more of a snarl than a word, his body already twisting in a flurry of blocks and short, quick jabs at whatever part of his opponent he could reach. Lucky for him, the target was huge. At full height Kenpachi Zaraki stood six foot seven and a half, not counting the extra foot his straight, spiked hair gave him. If not for his brawn or ridiculous style, Kenpachi was fearsome for just the look on his face.

Grimmjow was no wuss, but he wasn't a fool, either. Even if he managed to by some miracle escape this behemoth, it wouldn't be without cost. He'd seen five well trained, exceptional fighters go down by Kenpachi's hand without him even breaking a sweat. Grimmjow could tell the guy was just playing with him.

"I take it you've met the one unseated member of our team?" Sosuke asked, stepping back to avoid any backlash from the increasingly intense scuffle playing out in the middle if his office. He procured a teal cloth from his pocket and wiped at the steady stream of blood pouring from his nose. Somehow, despite the slight nasally tone to his voice, he still managed to give off the air of authority. "As you know, I accompany myself with two trusted officers and a variety of other assistants. Kenpachi, however, is a bit different. Think of him as a bodyguard if you will."

"One fucking ugly guard dog if you ask me," Grimmjow crashed into Sosuke's desk as the result of a rough shove, sending him down and knocking the furniture on its side. On his feet in a blink, Grimmjow threw himself at the giant man, blood already dripping from his right brow and several dark red welts forming on his arms and legs, aches blooming from the impact his back made with the desk. "That all you got, freak?" he asked, fists raised while he hopped from foot to foot.

Kenpachi paused, his one good eye narrowing while his mouth twitched. Grimmjow studied the deep scar across the man's face and wondered what it must have taken to cut such thick, leathery skin. Maybe the guy got in a fight with a freighter. He probably still won.

Kenpachi was laughing.

Grimmjow had only a fleeting second to wonder if the man could hear him think, then Kenpachi was on him again and Grimmjow was weaving to dodge his throws. Heavy fists whipped by him and cracked into walls, desks, couches, chairs. Anything Grimmjow could duck behind soon became rubble.

From what felt like miles away, Grimmjow could hear Sosuke speak, a dull sound in the back of his mind until five sharp words cut through the hum of mechanical thoughts to move this way or that.

"Where is your gun, Grimmjow?"

Grimmjow felt his gut tighten and hesitated too long to duck under Kenpachi's next kick. A boot larger than his skull knocked his head back and he felt his neck strain with a sickening crack before he used the momentum to drop to the floor and kicked out at an unattended knobby knee. Thick as the knee was, Grimmjow could still feel Kenpachi's patella shatter under his heel before the shock from the blow he'd taken settled in.

Kenpachi fell to the ground, growling out filthy words even Grimmjow wouldn't say as he clutched his knee.

Sosuke came over and stared down his nose at the disoriented blunet. "Are you really so vain that you would rather die than fire a gun? Or were you foolish enough to think you had any hope to leave here alive by coming unarmed?"

Grimmjow stared up at him from under a wave of blood stained bangs and let his face spread with a grin, not unlike the one Ichigo had shown in the alley where he was being kept. Nothing but defiance reflected in his ocean blue eyes, and already congealing blood staining his lips and cheek. Grimmjow's eyes flicked past Kenpachi toward the door before returning to Sosuke. "I didn't bring the gun," He took a moment to breathe, steadying himself to convey with every ounce of his being how confident he was. "Because I didn't need one."

"I'm not so sure," Sosuke said with a smirk of his own. "It would seem that Kenpachi is not through with you yet."

Behind Grimmjow, Kenpachi laughed some more, already standing himself up on his one good leg.

A frightening cackle rose over the deep boom of Kenpachi's rolling laughter and Grimmjow turned, eyes wide to the terror of a man now standing in the door frame. Relief left Grimmjow in a sigh and he stood carefully, making his way toward a friend that he couldn't have been happier to see.

"It's about fucking time you got here, lazy asshole," Grimmjow's words were slurred as he spit half way through the statement, scattering blood on the front of his shirt and on the floor at his feet. "You get lost on the way here or something?"

"You know as well as I do that I find the start of a fight boring. I've got no need for a warm up, just show me the action," Nnoitra's eye gleamed with excitement at the scene inside the room and it looked as if he were breathing deeply in the scent of blood and violence.

"So what'd I miss?" Nnoitra asked, sifting his eye from a mildly shocked Sosuke to a fuming Kenpachi, who was apparently quite annoyed by the interruption to his fight.

Kenpachi didn't look all that phased by the injury to his knee anymore and just that thought made Grimmjow's own wounds ache twice over. "Thought you didn't care about all that?" Grimmjow asked, annoyed.

"Well no shit, I just said so! What I'm askin' is why you called me out here in the middle of the day when we had no meetings to attend. I would also like to know, not that I'm complaining, why this bastard is here," Nnoitra gestured to Kenpachi with what could only be described as a smile and a sneer combined.

The two (Kenpachi and Nnoitra) had somewhat of a history for causing a scene, which was the reason only one of them was seated in Seven. If they were made to fight for a spot, Sosuke would be left with an empty rank, as the two men would draw the fight out until one of them were dead, and there was no way one would go down without taking the other with him. In the end, Sosuke settled for paying Kenpachi to guard him. The situation hardly arose where Kenpachi's help was needed, but Sosuke still considered the giant man a valuable employee. He'd placed Nnoitra on the actual team because, despite his unpredictability, Nnoitra was still a better fit for an undercover agent.

"Well," Grimmjow sighed and turned to Sosuke who regarded him curiously. How exactly would he explain this one? "Long story short, Sosuke's been using us to handle personal matters, all the while fuckin' with people that didn't need to be bothered."

"Wonderfully explained, Grimmjow," Sosuke drawled, looking off to the side with a self-confident smirk on his face.

Nnoitra shifted a glance between the two men, weighing the situation before looking back at Kenpachi. He knew both of the guys before him were threats, the but most immediate- that was obvious. As far as Nnoitra knew, he was the only one in the room with a weapon. He'd learned soon in his career in Seven that Sosuke preferred not to carry one on his person. As for Kenpachi…well, the guy _was_ a weapon.

"Are you going to stand there all day or help me kick this guy's ass?" Grimmjow asked, still feeling slightly dizzy from the kick to his head.

"I would advise you against that," Sosuke said, standing at the furthest end of the room from the three men, still clutching the phone in his hand. Grimmjow sighed and wondered why he hadn't taken the thing from him the last time he made a call. The least Sosuke could do was fight his own battle, especially after he'd been so adamant about the team training in hand to hand. Was all of it just a big joke? When it came down to it, was Sosuke nothing but a suit? What a fucking shame.

"Tch," Nnoitra rummaged in a back pocket for something. When he came up with a dark elastic band, he kept his eye on a strangely silent Kenpachi, and tied up his hair so that it stayed out of the way. Then he tightened the knot on bandana around his eye before clapping his hands together and displaying all of his teeth in a blood thirsty grin. "I'd say the time for taking your orders is over, Sosuke, and I can't tell ya how long I've wanted to fight this lunatic."

Kenpachi grunted in response and the two lunged at the same time.

Grimmjow backed up when they crashed into the wall next to him and he edged around the room toward Sosuke, not bothering to face him as he spoke. "After six years, this is all you can manage? Calling in yet another guy to do your work for you?" Grimmjow's tone may have held contempt for his wasted years, but he still sounded civil, almost reminiscent.

"I remember when you recruited me. You told me not to trust you on that very first day, not to admire you or make you any sort of role model," Grimmjow smirked, eyes still following the movements of Nnoitra and Kenpachi, fast as they were, but hard _not_ to watch. Even with Kenpachi's knee injury, the two weren't on even ground. Grimmjow could see he had to talk fast before Nnoitra was seriously hurt and he was the primary target again. Against his will, Grimmjow was forced to hope, hope that Shiro got his message and showed up in time. The best he could do for now was try and get some answers.

"I never intended to idolize you, Sosuke, but I asked you why anyway. Why you would recruit someone and ask that they not trust you in the same breath. Do you remember what you replied with?"

A diminutive smile passed over Sosuke's lips. He remembered the words well. "Trust, which is the same as depending on someone, is weak, and admiration is the emotion furthest from understanding."

Grimmjow nodded and turned. "I never once trusted you Sosuke. And not in all the years, months, long weeks and days under your watch did I ever look up to you. The one mistake I _did_ make was to believe I knew you as a person. I may never have met your loved ones or gone with you to do… whatever it is you do for fun. Golf maybe?" Grimmjow snorted. "But I did see you, interact with you, work for you, devote my life to your cause. Now I have to wonder, Sosuke. What part of this operation, of all of the lying and cheating, deceiving and from what I've been told, violence, fits into your plan to make this world a better place? How could any of those things ever possibly be considered good?"

"I think what you should be asking yourself is what gave you the idea that misleading innocents would accomplish something equal to charity. I may have fibbed from time to time about the true purpose of your assignments, but I never once asked you to cross the lines you laid out to me on the day I hired you. How many people have you had to kill, Grimmjow? To rape or torture?"

"None. But that doesn't change what the others have done, what you asked them to do. What about Ichigo? Why does he de-"

Kenpachi crashed into Grimmjow, pinning him to the wall as the words died on his tongue, lost in a choke for breath when two large hands slammed into his chest and his back connected with newly dented drywall. "Where the FUCK-" Grimmjow cut himself off again, this time intentionally, when he spotted the broken form of Nnoitra peeling himself off the ground with what looked like a splintered piece of Sosuke's desk embedded just next to his shoulder. "Nnoi?"

"M'fuckin' fine. Watch your own ass!" Nnoitra growled, voice still high pitched but gravely with obvious pain. He was bleeding _everywhere_.

Grimmjow could feel more than hear Sosuke inching away and turned a glare on Kenpachi. The broad man didn't look all that great and it was obvious that Nnoitra hadn't hesitated to use the blade he kept on him at all times, but Kenpachi didn't show any signs of letting up. Against his screaming instincts, Grimmjow ignored the giant man crushing him against the wall and turned his attention to Sosuke again. It wasn't like he was going anywhere anytime soon.

"Why did Ichigo deserve this?" he asked. "Why did he have to be brought into something he had no part in?" Grimmjow took a moment to brace his arms on Kenpachi's thick ones, not quite attempting to get him away, but trying to release the pressure on his chest. "How many other people were harmed because of your sick schemes, Sosuke? How many?" He was yelling now, unable to still his tongue now that he'd started. To his surprise, Kenpachi relented in his push, but then wrapped both enormous hands around his neck and squeezed until Grimmjow's face started to color red, and gradually blue.

Moments ticked by without any answers and Grimmjow wondered if Sosuke knew them himself. "Why?" was his final, strangled question, the last word he could say before being reduced to breathy gasps and sickening wheezes. His eyes were bloodshot and wet with unwarranted tears as he glared into nerve shocked, almond eyes. And then he could see it, finally. _The fear in Sosuke's eyes._

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

I hope it's not painfully obvious that I struggled with this chapter.  
>As a favor, I'd like to ask that you direct all of your hate and anger in Aizen's direction rather than mine ;D<br>At least there were some answers, right? Riiiight? And more questions, but you know..


	13. Envy

Why, you ask? Because it's _my_ story. It's that simple.

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><p><strong>Chapter Thirteen: Envy.<strong>

**OR**

**Heavy In Your Arms.**

* * *

><p>"<em>Are you strong enough to stand, protecting both your heart and mine?"<em>

* * *

><p>It wasn't until long after the phone calls had stopped that Shiro managed to open his eyes and start thinking clearly. Tensa was resting, drifting in and out of consciousness and mumbling incoherently between minute long naps.<p>

Shiro sat up with a groan and patted through the pile of clothes next to them on the floor for his phone. Lying back down, he held it over his face and sifted through the various messages he'd gotten in the last day. A couple of them were reminders from Ulquiorra about his next meeting, tomorrow. There was a text from his cousin about a particular television show that he wouldn't admit to enjoying unless threatened with his life. That one was deleted with great haste. Then there were at least five sloppily written, barely readable texts from Grimmjow and also one voice mail. Connecting with his voice messaging system, Shiro glanced over at the brunet napping next to him and smiled as the message started to play.

"_Hey, White. I don't have a lot of time to explain right now but I need your back up at Sosuke's office. Ichi found out about our job somehow and I'm about to go walking into hell without a plan," _Shiro's smile melted away and he sat up immediately, dressing himself with one hand while as he listened to the rest of the message.

"_I think Sosuke's been lying to us about this assignment I've had. I don't know what's really going on, but I could use your help as soon as you can get here. I called Nnoitra too, but just like your dumb ass, he didn't pick up. Damn it, you assholes better not be in on this shit too or I'm going to fucking kill you! Anyway, get the hell out of bed and cover my ass like you're supposed to. See you in a while. Or not, I guess, if you get this too late."_

Shiro swore and closed his phone, draping his shirt over his shoulder and looking down to find Tensa watching him curiously. Shiro didn't know what to say to him. If Shinji and Ichigo knew about Seven, then all of Tensa's unchecked calls and messages were probably about that. As soon as the brunet saw them, Shiro was screwed. All of their progress was going to be gone. He glanced warily at the corner of the room where a desk sat shoved against the wall with Tensa's blinking phone on it. The look on Tensa's face if- when he found out.. Shiro couldn't even imagine it.

Dropping to his knees, Shiro took Tensa's soft cheeks in his hands, closed his eyes, and gently breathed over his lips. "Whatever happens, Ten, just know that everything we've had, including last night, was real to me and nothing's gonna change that."

"Shiro?"

"I can't- I can't tell you what's going on, but just stay home today. Don't go out. And..fuck. I know it's soon, but I love you, alright?"

Tensa's eyes widened as a breathtaking kiss was laid on his lips, then the albino stood and left without looking back.

* * *

><p>Shunsui and Jushiro wandered up the street, peeking into corners, behind buildings, and even checking dumpsters. After being directed by Kisuke to go directly to the hotel Sosuke inhabited, the two decided to check the area first to be sure nothing was overlooked. It was a good thing they did, because as they passed the area behind the hotel, the two men heard a familiar, yet strained voice shouting "Hey, Humpty and Dumpty!"<p>

Exchanging amused glances, Shunsui and Jushiro nodded and headed toward the voice. As they came closer, the brunet glanced around the corner of the building to see two men facing a dead end alley. One of them was talking to someone further in.

Shunsui pulled back from the corner and checked that his weapon was fully loaded. "There's two over there, maybe three, and I suspect Ichigo is back there. He could be hurt, so we can't count on his help."

Jushiro nodded. He slipped one hand into his jacket warily as he took a look around the corner briefly. One of the guards turned, showing the side of his face and easily recognizable features. "Those two-"

"Yammy and Zommari. Figures, right?" Shunsui smirked as he exchanged his gun between hands. "I should have known they sided with Sosuke when they fell off the face of the planet back then."

"I just always assumed they found something better to do," Jushiro mused, slipping the hand from his jacket back down to hang at his side.

"World's largest paper weights?" Shunsui chuckled as Jushiro shot him a scolding glare. "I kid, I kid," He took one last look around the corner. "Mostly."

"Let's go."

Walking in step, both men rounded the corner and paced silently along the wall, closing the distance to the alley without the two men guarding it taking notice.

"Grimmjow? What's it to you?" Yammy, the big man with red marks on his cheeks spoke to Ichigo further in. He rolled a shoulder casually, poorly hiding the truth that he knew the blunet well. He and Grimmjow worked for the same man, after all.

Shunsui paused just feet behind the two guards, lifting a hand to stop Jushiro behind him. They listened in for any other possible voices, but only Ichigo spoke in the silence that followed.

"Tell me something, guys," Ichigo said. He sounded bad, but alive, which is what mattered most. The voice continued.

"Does he always fuck the people he's investigating or whatever? Or does he not talk to you two about that?" Ichigo was stalling, hoping some shred of his strength might return before the men decided he wasn't worth keeping around any longer. What he hadn't expected was to look up and see two familiar faces standing behind the two guards. He tried not to show relief in his expression, but Zommari caught the movement of his eyes and turned in a rush, just in time to take the full force of an elbow to the face.

Zommari stumbled backward, but recovered quickly and whipped out his gun. A short, stubby thing that looked a bit ridiculous in his large hand.

Shunsui grinned and flashed his own weapon as Jushiro kept an eye on the newly alerted Yammy. Yammy didn't turn his back to Ichigo, but did glance over at the two new arrivals, his dull eyes flicking over their forms before resting on Shunsui's face.

"Been a while," Shunsui said lightly.

"Not long enough," Yammy shot back, brandishing his weapon and turning completely away from Ichigo, fully facing two men he hadn't ever exactly considered friends. Even when they were supposed to be on the same side, but that was a long time ago.

Ichigo wasn't sure what to do. Judging by Jushiro's steady gaze, the man also held a weapon, which meant all four of the men at the end of the alley were armed, leaving him as the only tie breaker. But without the ability to do much more than crawl and bleed on the floor, Ichigo wasn't sure how he could help. His phone had been taken, not that it would help at the immediate time, and a quick glance around told him there was nothing even remotely weapon-like he could throw or use to knock his captors out.

The situation, no matter how he hated it, was hopeless. He couldn't do anything, and that was only the second most infuriating part of the whole ordeal. The first was that he got caught to begin with. Chewing at his lip furiously, Ichigo stared at the ground and wondered what would happen next.

Last he checked, Shunsui and Jushiro were casual friends of Kisuke's, regulars from the bar at best. But that didn't explain why they showed up to save him, or why they held guns like it was no big deal. Ichigo swallowed and felt his face flush. It really had been stupid of him to think something like the weapons those men were waving around could be anything close to erotic. All he could view them as was dangerous at the moment. But back at Grimmjow's house it had been a heat of the moment thing, and a reaction he couldn't help, regardless of how stupid or irrational. Ichigo figured it must have been because Grimmjow was holding it, and for whatever reason at that point, he trusted the man. What a mistake _that_ had been. Ichigo tried not to think about the fact that he could have been shot, and refused to think about how naïve he had been to believe that Grimmjow was in it for anything but the job.

"Now who started a party and didn't invite me?"

Ichigo tensed at the shrill voice and looked up, finding sharp, golden eyes gleaming from behind both Shunsui and Jushiro. If Grimmjow's betrayal was anything to go by, this was not a lucky turn of events. Shiro held yet another gun with black plating, and Ichigo felt his heart sink- until he noticed that the dark weapon was not aimed at the two men he recognized as Kisuke's friends, but at the men guarding the alley.

But why? That didn't make any sense.

"The fuck are you doing?" Yammy asked, shifting his weight and cracking the knuckles of his free hand. He didn't think any of the seated agents weren't supposed to be around today, but he wasn't opposed to the thought of the albino showing up right about now. Problem was, Shiro's weapon was aimed at him and not the jackasses holding him and Zommari up.

"Now, I know you aren't that stupid, Yammy," Shiro chided. He waved his gun, motioning for Yammy and Zommari to drop their own, and after a minute, heavy clangs signaled their collision with the ground. A satisfied grin curled onto the albino's face. "That's much better."

Shunsui and Jushiro, still confused, turned interested looks back at Shiro, but the young man ignored them both and stepped closer to his former team mates. _Former, eh?_ Shiro laughed at his thoughts. Yeah, former. Job or not, his side was with Grimmjow and Nnoitra, now with Tensa, and that meant with Ichigo, too, and whoever these fogies were coming to save him.

Grinning in response to the seething glares he recieved, Shiro stopped feet away from the larger men and bounced on his feet. "Can't say I never wanted to do this," he chirped, and before anyone could respond, Shiro's arm shot out, knocking Yammy between the eyes to send him stumbling back for a moment. Then Shiro twirled and without flinching, shot Zommari in the thigh. As the darker man cried out, Yammy came back in with his eyes still out of focus and brimming with rage. Shiro kicked out, landing a foot right on the burly man's jaw, whipping it to the side fast enough to knock him right out. Yammy sank to the ground heavily and Shiro turned back to Zommari. The man looked just about to ready to make some sort of attack, and Shiro didn't wait for that to happen. He used the injured man's kneeling position as an advantage by shoving him back onto his butt, then punted him right in the temple, sending him into the same black oblivion as his partner.

Shiro tilted his head at the two unconscious men and shrugged. He'd always known those two idiots were lazy, but he thought they had at least taken the same hand to hand training he had. Sure, it would have been easier to pile them full of bullets, but he wasn't keen on being a murderer, even if the guys had roughed a kid up for no apparent reason.

"What in the hell?" Jushiro asked, staring down vacantly at the pile of burly arms and legs before gaping up at Shiro. The crazy bastard had just taken two gigantic men out on his own? His _own_ men?

The albino crossed his arms over his chest with the onyx gun still dangling from his pale hand. "What?"

Shunsui chuckled and extended a hand, further baffling his partner at his easy acceptance of Shiro's help. "Pleased to meet you, guy who kind of helped us save Ichigo. Name's Shunsui Kyoraku."

Shiro took the hand with a smirk. "Shiro," After the shake, Shiro looked down and kicked the weapons from Yammy and Zommari's hands so they skidded down the alley, far enough away that they weren't easily retrieved.

"Is anyone going to tell me what the FUCK is going on here?" Ichigo shouted, bringing three pairs of eyes to him while he struggled to get on his hands and knees again.

Shiro rolled his eyes and holstered his weapon, leaping across the two fallen men and bending over the tangerine. He snorted when Ichigo glared at him, then looped an arm under Ichigo's and hoisted him off the ground before dipping an arm under his legs and lifting him up bridal style.

Ichigo kicked with his uninjured leg and growled, struggling in Shiro's arms, cursing all the while. "I'm not some fucking princess that needs to be saved!" he shouted. Savior or not, Shiro was still the enemy as far as he could tell, and he wasn't about to go gallivanting off with the man into the sunset like nothing was wrong with that!

"If that's so then why're ya laying around doing nothing while us men do all the work?" Shiro asked, pausing to hold Ichigo tighter so that he wouldn't fall.

"What am I supposed to do with a knife in my leg and a dislocated shoulder?"

Shiro grinned, looking down when Ichigo suddenly stilled and leveled a stare at him that might have been intimidating if his hair wasn't flat as a pancake around his face and his arm wasn't hanging at a gross angle to his side. "Grow some fucking balls and fight like a man!"

Ichigo sighed and turned his head to the other two men who were watching somewhat silently, unsure about what else to do. "Shunsui, can I borrow your gun?" Ichigo asked. He'd bother with the questions about why the two men were there in the first place and why they had guns later on. Right now, he had more pressing problems.

Shunsui shifted an unsure glance toward his white haired partner. "I'm not entirely sure that's a goo-"

"Give me the fucking GUN!" Ichigo wasn't taking no for an answer, even in his pathetic state. "I'm not going to kill him," he added lamely.

Shunsui lifted his hands and flipped the safety on before holding his weapon out with the tip pointed down, ignoring Jushiro's disapproving glare. "Whatever you say, Ichigo."

Ichigo took the weapon with his uninjured arm and directed it at the underside of Shiro's chin. "Where's Tensa?" he asked, voice lowering to sound serious but still coming out as a whine as his leg throbbed from being moved so suddenly. "Did you hurt him?"

"He's safe back at home," Shiro said honestly, feeling a pang of guilt in his chest at the thought of leaving the poor brunet alone at home, without any answers. "I would never hurt him, Ichigo. You have to know that."

"And when he finds out about all of this, you don't think that will hurt him?"

"I don't expect him to be happy about it, but I can promise that I never meant to harm your friend."

Ichigo watched Shiro as he spoke and frowned. He hadn't expected the guy to look so sincere He lowered the gun and tilted his head, considering the possibility that this guy was probably trained to lie convincingly like that. Without warning, Ichigo brought the handle of the weapon down on Shiro's head. Shiro howled and hunched forward, losing his grip on Ichigo when the pain knifed through his skull.

Ichigo rolled to the ground and cursed when his shoulder met with cement. Jushiro hurried over, forcing Ichigo to stop struggling so he wouldn't further harm himself.

"Is that fucking man enough for you, you piece of shit!" Ichigo shouted, then whined when Jushiro lifted his dislocated arm. Jushiro took the weapon back from Ichigo and lifted it to hand it to Shunsui, who holstered it again and chuckled to himself.

Somehow managing to stay upright, Shiro squinted down at Ichigo, rubbing the wound on his head and bringing his hand back, finding that there was surprisingly no blood. Instead of screaming or beating what scraps of sense out of Ichigo that were still left, Shiro smiled and grabbed the back of the tangerines shirt, hoisting him up on his legs and then shoving him forward into Jushiro who quickly rose to support him. "That's a damn good start, _King_."

When Ichigo screwed up his face, Shiro laughed and turned away. "Let's get this kid some fucking help," he said, stepping past the three and rummaging for his car keys in his pocket.

Ichigo gratefully accepted Jushiro's offered support of a shoulder to lean on while limping behind the albino. He made sure to step as hard as he could on the prone bodies of the men that had been guarding him -with his one good leg- and ignored Jushiro's wince when something cracked under his weight.

As they were pacing away, Ichigo heard a rustling behind him and craned his neck to see over his and Jushiro's shoulders, inhaling sharply at what he saw.

Yammy was sitting up on the ground with a tiny gun pulled from who knows where, aiming it straight for Ichigo's back.

"What now?" Shiro asked, turning when he heard Jushiro's gasp. His gaze fell on Yammy and he rolled his eyes. "Oh, give it up, Lardo! You're outnumbered.."

Yammy sat up slowly and shook his head. "I ain't goin' down without takin' pretty boy with me."

"Good luck with that," Shiro laughed, stepping up next to the tangerine. "Gonna have to get through me first."

"This bullet'll get right through you, no problem," Yammy said.

"And how are you planning on shooting Ichigo before Pinky here or I plant one between your eyes?" Shiro nodded toward the brunet with the pink, floral shirt.

"Pinky?" Shunsui whispered in question, looking at Jushiro who merely shrugged.

Yammy eyed Ichigo and then Shunsui, sweat beading down his temple.

"Put your weapon down and nobody will get hurt," Shiro warned. "Well, more hurt."

"Not gonna happen." Yammy gripped the weapon a little tighter and shook his head back and forth slowly.

Shiro opened his mouth to tell the idiot just how foolish he was being, but a shot rang out and cut off his words. Ichigo fell to the ground next to him and Shiro gaped at the limp boy at his feet.

* * *

><p>Sosuke's fearful expression didn't last long. There had been a moment where he realized how long it had been since he'd literally watched the flitting expressions of a man as the life drained from his face, but Grimmjow's complete disregard for his current state and determined glare had rattled something in him. A lifetime of training himself to be calm in all situations kicked in, but what helped the most, was the two familiar faces appearing at the door. Sosuke tipped his head forward in greeting, looking somehow oblivious to the destruction of his office and the three bleeding men in the room. Grimmjow was just barely taking shallow gasps as the color drained from his face from Kenpachi's squeezing hands.<p>

_Kenpachi was still fucking laughing._

Sosuke stepped toward the door to greet the newcomers, then froze. A flicker of silver before his eyes gave him reason not to move any further. Clearly, there had been a misunderstanding. One of his highest ranked employees would not aim a weapon at him. It was unthinkable.

"Coyote," Sosuke soothed, raising his head and gazing over the pistol aimed at his face, locking on blue-gray eyes. In an action of faith, an offering of peace almost, Sosuke pointed at Nnoitra, whom had managed to stagger to his feet and shuffle toward a wall. He stood bleeding as he leaned against it, one hand gripped on the shard of wood jutting from his shoulder.

"Would you kindly see to it that this traitor is detained?" Sosuke asked, a wan smile accompanying the threatening undertone of his words. Disobedience was not tolerated, not even once, but he never suspected this man, his greatest accomplishment, would be standing _against_ him.

Behind Starrk, a man slightly smaller in frame, but tall, obliviously smiling, watched from underneath silvery strands of silken hair as something similar to alarm lit on Sosuke Aizen's face. The already highly stretched edges of the man's smile pulled to a drastic depth, creasing his high cheek bones with soft wrinkles.

"Oh _now_ the cavalry comes!" Nnoitra bitched, crouching on the floor and tearing off the last shreds of his shirt that still hung on his frame. It was a lame attempt at humor in a moment when he knew he was completely fucked, but hell if he'd just lie down without digging a grave first. There was no way he could make it across the room to attempt at saving Grimmjow, but he was still considering it.

Starrk made no move to help or hinder Sosuke, but his eyes did pass over Grimmjow. The man was clearly struggling, his hands coming up to pull at Kenpachi's unwavering grip on his neck. "Sosuke…"

Sosuke knew Starrk's stand on violence, on needless deaths or unfounded pain. All it took was the mention of his name and he turned, commanding lowly for Kenpachi to release Grimmjow.

The bigger man held Grimmjow's neck for another long moment, the blunet's sight already blackening around the edges.

"Now, Kenpachi," Sosuke demanded, hearing Starrk's pistol click from being cocked, still hovering unshakably, inches away from his nose. No thick headed behemoth was going to be the cause of his death just because he couldn't listen.

Kenpachi sighed loudly, but released Grimmjow all the same, kicking the blunet for good measure when he collapsed to the ground and drew in deep, rattling breaths.

"You-" Grimmjow cleared his throat and winced at the pain. "You fucking- …bastard-"

"Like you didn't have it comin'," Kenpachi growled, turning away from Grimmjow and finding the remains of a chair to seat himself in. He pulled up the leg of his pants to inspect his knee, letting free a barely audible hiss.

"Not-.. you," Grimmjow had a hand to his throat and spoke hoarsely through the pain. His other hand lifted, one finger coming out to point straight at Starrk. "All this-" Another deep gasp. "-time." There was no _way_ Starrk knew the truth about Sosuke and hadn't told Grimmjow. They were friends for how long? He'd looked up to this guy, trusted this one man the most out of the entire operation. Sure, Grimmjow respected Shiro and Nnoitra and would always have their backs, but Starrk was different. If Starrk had doubts about Sosuke, Grimmjow should have fucking _known_. The dog bastard should have told him!

"Take it easy, Grimmjow. You can have a word with me later," Starrk carefully moved his finger from the trigger on his gun and rocked back on the balls of his feet. He sighed and turned an eye to the still silent, fox-faced man just behind him. "Shall I?" he asked, and shrugged when he received no response. "Guess I'll handle it then."

Sosuke's eyes grew wide at the exchange, suddenly registering the connection between the two men. It was enough seeing that Coyote had turned, but _him_ too?

Starrk inched closer, taking a slow stride until the cold edge of his weapon tapped against Sosuke's cheek. "You broke your agreement," he began to say, cocking his head to the side. One ear peeked out of the mess of brunet hair that framed his face. "Told me you wouldn't do that."

"But you knew someday I would," Sosuke said, gaze level now and expression back to its natural calm. Talking was something he could do. "Or else you wouldn't be standing here."

Starrk smiled with hints of teeth in the amused expression. He knew the day would come, had been ready for it for years, actually. He suspected it would have been sooner, but truly had no preference. He didn't mind the lifestyle, the games and acting. It was hardly a challenge, more of a favor to a friend.

Serving Sosuke was not Starrk's first pick of all the things he could have done with the last ten or so years of his life, but what did it matter now? "And that's why I'm still here, isn't it?" he asked. "To keep you in line. I guess you could say I failed in that regard if someone's already gotten hurt. But.." Starrk lowered the weapon slowly, still keeping it level with Sosuke's chest, but holding it out of his face. "It doesn't have to be this way. If you give me Ichigo's location and let them walk free, I'll make you a deal."

"What possible interest would I have in something you would offer?" Sosuke wondered aloud. "A pet, perhaps? I'm sorry to tell you, but I'm not interested in such filthy creatures."

Starrk's expression hardened, tilting his hand to drag polished steel over Sosuke's jaw. "I'll let that one slide because I just know you must be pissing yourself about what's happened today. Or did you intend to be discovered before your plans were seen through?"

"How do you know I have not already succeeded?" Sosuke asked, lifting a hand to guide the pistol away from his face, not a shred of fear in his voice. "Do you honestly expect me to believe that the lot of you would harm me?"

Sosuke turned and motioned to Nnoitra and then Grimmjow, both of them still in disarray from their short fights. "After the deals these two made with me, Shiro included, I knew right away that they could be used. 'Just the right sort of men I need on my team', I thought. Harmless to me but perfect for using, manipulating and then expending when their purpose had come and gone," Sosuke didn't stop even after the curses and growls of contempt started from behind him. "Nothing but a bunch of strays, all pathetic creatures without homes, without lives. Without anything but me."

The room was silent but for the mumbled expletives until Starrk dropped his arm to his side and laughed. It was muted, slowly building until he lifted a hand to his chest and nearly started to cough. The whole, entire room was appalled. Nobody had heard Coyote Starrk laugh like that before. Even Nnoitra was a bit creeped out.

"Do you really expect that front to work on me, Sosuke? With the men in this room standing behind me, standing _against_ you, do you honestly believe that you have any reinforcement whatsoever aside from the crippled brute over there?" Starrk let his smile drop and met Sosuke's gaze head on. "Have you never once considered that the people you have surrounded yourself with and begged not to trust you would come to realize that you aren't needed?"

Sosuke shook his head, not defeated but incredulous. "Did you see me quivering? Did you think that I didn't expect this? You better than anyone should know that I leave nothing to be risked when I operate my team." It was obvious he was trying to back his way out of a hole, and he might have succeeded if not for what happened next.

"I suppose ya didn't think to factor in me?" a carefree, almost playful voice came from the shadowed form moving out from behind Starrk.

Sosuke turned his eyes to the silver and violet haired man, and beheld that unnerving grin that few had ever seen fall from his face. Crystal blue eyes glimmered from under lowered lashes, barely there before not there at all. "Gin."

Gin stopped short in front of Sosuke and hunched forward, letting the long bangs over his face brush against Sosuke's nose as he leaned close. "Hello, lover."

The atmosphere of the room changed completely in the seconds after Gin's last words. Nobody moved, nobody spoke, nobody dared breathe. Neither Grimmjow nor Nnoitra knew how truly close Sosuke and Gin had been until then, and based on the look on Kenpachi's face, the outright disgust, it seemed he didn't either. Starrk knew, had for a long time. Of course, it had all been part of the plan.

"You would _dare-" _Sosuke's arm shot out, his soft hand circling Gin's slender neck to rest behind it and pull the smaller male near. "You would betray me after.." Sosuke swallowed and shook his head. Glacial blue orbs observed him, unfeeling as the day they'd met. Gin had been playing both sides from the first day, and now Sosuke knew.

Abandoning his line of questioning, Sosuke dropped his hand again and stepped away from Gin. "I fail to see how revealing this _whore_ to me proves that you hold anything over my head as leverage," Sosuke turned, glancing at the broken remnants of his desk, stifling a sigh at the wasted heirloom. "I still own you all and expect you back on duty, ready for new assignments starting tomorrow," The brunet waved a hand, as if shooing away all the events of the last couple hours.

"I know all'a your secrets," Gin said softly. "Every lil' important detail of your life,"

"No you _think_ you know," Sosuke whirled on his former lover with emotion in his eyes no employee of his had ever seen. "But what you 'know' does not matter, only what you can _prove_ does." The brunet took a slow breath and let his guarded expression return. He was slipping, speaking nonsense, and he knew it.

"An' you think our time together was not enough for me to scrounge up all the proof I needed?" Gin teased, eyes still squinting, smile still wide.

Grimmjow wondered how could Gin stare in the face of his lover (of what Grimmjow guessed was upwards of six years), and show such little emotion, so ruthlessly speak of how he'd done nothing but use him for all of that time. He surprised himself when he realized that he actually felt bad for Sosuke.

"I know all of your passwords, pin numbers, access codes," Gin went on, stepping forward again and brushing the lock of hair in Sosuke's face back behind his ear. He ran the back of his hand over the swollen area on Sosuke's cheek, the place where Grimmjow hit him, and sighed softly at the pretty wound. Gin whispered the next words. "I know your desires, weaknesses.."

Sosuke's lip curled and he smacked the hand away.

Gin was unfazed by the gesture. "I know about your family and your kids," he said. "Where they live, what their names are."

_Kids? _Grimmjow couldn't help but stare at the man across the room. How could he have claimed to know Sosuke when he didn't know he had kids, a family, and a lover? Sosuke had something with Gin, whom Grimmjow would speak to on a regular basis, but never knew meant something to Sosuke. Grimmjow really didn't know a _thing_ about this man, did he?

For his part, Sosuke managed to keep his composure, but Grimmjow could feel the heat of his embarrassment thickening the air in the room. This was not the man he thought he knew, not in the least.

As if Sosuke could feel the pity in everyone's eyes, he turned up his nose and took a cleansing breath. "What are your demands?" He knew when to admit defeat, when there was nowhere to go but down. If he didn't offer it now, the deal would only get worse. The least he could do was give them their out and hope the toll it took on what was left of his life was not so great that he had to start over. "Ichigo is behind the building in the alley, just past the lot."

Grimmjow was on his feet in a flash, sprinting across the room with strength he didn't know he had left. Starrk seized his arm before he could leave and gave him a look. He said nothing, but Grimmjow knew what it meant. _Be careful_.

Nnoitra made a move to follow him, but only succeeded in staggering along the wall before dropping to a knee again and growling at Kenpachi's resulting chuckle. "Yeah, fuck you too, Sonic," he mumbled, dabbing his blood soaked shirt against the wound in his shoulder before wrapping it tightly around it and tying it off with a thick not. He'd be damned if he lost an arm, but losing less blood was more of a priority at the moment.

Seeing that Gin had served his purpose of neutralizing Sosuke's threat, Starrk stepped forward, lifting a hand to settle it on Sosuke's shoulder. "I'm sure we can come to an agreement."

Sosuke lifted his head, anger still burning behind his eyes, but the look he gave Starrk was not intended for him. It was for the man that brought this all upon him with his incessant scheming and lifelong petty games. None other than Kisuke Urahara could be blamed for his misfortune. Again.

* * *

><p>It took a long moment for everyone to figure out what exactly had happened. When Shiro finally looked up, his face mirrored that of Shunsui's. Both of them looked up at Jushiro with mouths agape at the smoking revolver grasped in his delicate hand. Their eyes travelled to Yammy, clutching a bleeding, gun-free hand to his chest and wailing about the hole in his palm. Then all eyes turned to Ichigo on the ground, relatively unharmed, before swiveling back to Jushiro.<p>

"What?" Jushiro questioned. "That guy isn't the only one that carries a concealed weapon." The older, snowy haired man looked down to Ichigo, who was cowering on the floor with his hands over his head.

Slowly, realization settled in and Shiro laughed out loud when he got a grasp on what had happened.

"You spineless little shit!" he said to Ichigo, "Did you piss your pants, too?" Shiro bent over, bracing himself on his knees. This was the funniest thing he'd seen in a long time. Ichigo's face was sheet white, eyes impossibly big and his whole body shook. The kid was pretty tough all things considered, but he had obviously had a long day. Having a crazy guy aim a gun at his head was apparently the last straw before he snapped.

"My knees gave out," Ichigo growled, shakily attempting to stand back up, taking Jushiro's arm when it was extended to him again. "It's not like I was trying to hide or anything."

"Oh _SURE_." Shiro was giggling now, not at all ashamed as he continued on without a care. He was only starting to cool down when a set of worried blue eyes rounded the building and immediately locked on Ichigo's shakily standing form.

Grimmjow paused, shoulders sagging when he took in the sight of a knife in Ichigo's leg, the wounds on his face and his limply dangling arm. He stared for what felt like hours before finding the strength to move forward, staggering to the otherwise, unaware tangerine.

While Grimmjow jogged in slow motion like some sort of Baywatch hero, Shiro started laughing again and Ichigo finally looked up, connecting with Grimmjow's concerned gaze and feeling the breath expel from his lungs at the sight. The crimson and purple marks around Grimmjow's neck stood out first, then the blood still seeping down the side of his face, along with numerous bruises and cuts on his bare arms, the rips in his pants and the limp in his stride. Ichigo wasn't sure how to even react.

When the blunet stopped short, just a foot away from Ichigo and a slightly alarmed Jushiro, Ichigo parted his lips in attempt to speak, failing twice before finally speaking the words.

"Where the _fuck_ have you been?"

* * *

><p>It still hadn't completely hit Grimmjow as he sat in the passenger seat of Starrk's car on the way to the hospital. He hadn't even thought to beat the piss out of Yammy or Zommari for what they did to Ichigo. All he could worry about was getting the tangerine to a hospital. Thankfully, Tia had arrived quickly enough to handle Zommari and Yammy as they headed off.<p>

They just barely maintained the speed limit, taking the quickest route to one of the hospitals Isshin owned. Grimmjow's mind was busy, still processing everything that happened and thinking back on Ichigo's words. 'Where the fuck was he?' He was telling Sosuke off, that's where! Risking his life and career for that freaking kid. Wasn't that enough?

Weeks ago, Grimmjow had been living life like normal, taking jobs and finishing them, earning his pay and lazing around in his house. Then, in the span of a week he'd broken his own code by showing his true self on a job and not following a carefully crafted plan he'd come up with, but one Nnoitra created on a whim. He'd gotten close with Ichigo, discovered some things about himself he'd never known, and just like that, he was in a relationship. A _gay_ relationship with a target for one of his jobs. Before Grimmjow could even fully process all of that, he was forced to choose between the tangerine and damn near everything else he had. Getting in a fight with Kenpachi and putting Ichigo and his friends in danger was not what Grimmjow intended at the start of all of this. Neither was falling for this kid.

But that's how it was. Grimmjow stared down at his arm, picking dried blood from his skin and cringing when it stuck to one of his hairs. He could hear Nnoitra bitching up a storm in the back seat. Starrk was humming to himself peacefully as he drove, as if he hadn't just slapped a gigantic reality check in Sosuke's face, and two of his injured friends weren't bleeding all over his car seats.

Everything was still in the air as far as Grimmjow was concerned. He hadn't stuck around to hear what deal Sosuke and Starrk made, to find out more about Gin's betrayal, or what in the hell was really going on. He didn't know where he sat with Ichigo, or if his friends were okay. Shiro seemed perfectly fine. The jackass drove with Shunsui, Jushiro and Ichigo because he claimed the tangerine was "just too funny when pissed off". Grimmjow had wanted to go with him too, but Starrk suggested he give him space. Grimmjow_ did _sort of fuck up his life, after all. Ichigo probably had some processing to do, but that didn't make Grimmjow any less protective.

Ichigo was hurt and Grimmjow was missing him. He wanted to be there for him, as much as it pissed him off to think that he needed someone.

"You gonna sulk the whole way there?" Nnoitra asked, turning his attention to the blunet when he saw that his complaining was falling on deaf ears. The best way to distract himself from the gigantic splinter of wood still jutting from his shoulder was to point out somebody else's pain, which at the time meant bugging Grimmjow.

Grimmjow sighed and ignored him, flicking more blood from his arm and slumping in his seat. Everything was all fucked up.

* * *

><p>Sitting in the car, Ichigo had been given a chance to really look at his injuries, but he wasn't inspecting his impaled leg for long before he passed out. It was most likely because of blood loss, but Shiro took at it as entertainment.<p>

When Ichigo fell head first against the window on his side of Shunsui's car, the albino had burst into another bout of laughter and kept going until Jushiro sent him a look that made him shut his trap for fear of being shot down with that mysteriously hidden weapon the man had. Shiro still wasn't all that sure what in the fuck was going on, or who these dudes were that came to save Ichigo, but he still considered himself the true hero of the day. He'd done all of the work in his opinion.

When they arrived at the hospital, Isshin and a woman with long, raven hair braided around her neck were ready to bring Ichigo in on a stretcher. There were a couple of other nurses ready with a wheel chair for Grimmjow, whom bitched about being forced to sit in it all the way to his room, and there was another chair for Nnoitra. The tall man took one look at it and then flipped it upside down before stomping into the building with nothing but a raised middle finger as explanation.

Shiro, of course, spent the entire time laughing at the spectacle the three of them made. Ichigo, limp and pale, Grimmjow grumbling, and Nnoitra pitching his hissy fit and storming away like a grounded teenaged girl. Even Shunsui had a chuckle or two before he reminded himself of the seriousness of the injuries the three of them had.

* * *

><p>When Ichigo woke, the first thing he felt was incredibly hot. He started to open his eyes, but it took a moment to focus on all of the faces around him. It gave him a strange feeling like he'd arrived late to a surprise birthday party that he didn't realize was for him. Everyone had big smiles when they saw him awake and grabbing hands were everywhere, pulling him into hugs and kissing the bits of his face that weren't bandaged or sore. It took him a moment of fending them off to get the chance to look down and see that he had gauze and bandages present on nearly every limb on his body.<p>

It was obvious to Ichigo that he'd been given medication for the pain, but his leg still throbbed dully enough for him to remember the knife that had been there. The entry and exit wounds had been cleaned and sewn shut, then wrapped. His chest was bandaged loosely, which he found was the main source of heat; the thickly wrapped fabric covered most of his torso under the long sleeved hospital shirt he'd been clothed with. His right shoulder was in a sling, now relocated and sitting limp on his chest. A patch of gauze was taped to his right cheek to cover the deep cut he'd been given, and he felt cold on his left ankle from somebody holding ice there to help ease the swelling from the twist.

After assessing all of the wounds, Ichigo looked up into the wide eyes of his sisters, the beam on his father's face and at the back of the room, the watchful eyes of the two men that had brought him here. Everyone looked happy, but he could still see the edges of worry on their faces. He guessed most of them didn't know what was up, but that wasn't exactly true.

After Ichigo's sisters each gave him another hug and wished him better, the two of them left the room, and Ichigo watched them step out while a familiar bucket hat wearing man led the next visitor in. Ichigo raised a brow and turned to the others in the room, seeing that they all sported much more serious looks. Kisuke came around to the side of his bed and pulled up a chair to sit.

Shunsui and Jushiro lingered in the back while Isshin shifted awkwardly toward the end of Ichigo's bed, taking the ice pack and repositioning it on his foot.

"Guys? What's going on here?" Ichigo asked, shifting his gaze between the group of men.

"Ah, well, you'll have to forgive me for not sharing this with you earlier," Kisuke said.

Ichigo frowned. "Share what?"

"It would seem that because of us-" Kisuke flinched when Isshin shot him a dangerous look. "Or because of me, rather, you have been involved in an old disagreement with somebody from my past."

Ichigo thought about that and looked to his father, searching for answers in his expression. Nothing offered itself in Isshin's steely gaze, so he glanced back over to Kisuke and took his first guess. "You knew Grimmjow?"

"Yes. Well actually, no. Not exactly."

Ichigo sighed, wincing at the pain from his aching ribs. "You aren't making any sense."

"I know. Please understand, I never thought I would have to be explaining this to you."

"Explaining _what_?" Ichigo was getting a bit impatient now, and was starting to wish he'd slept for a little longer because now his head hurt and his eyes felt heavy. "So far, you've done nothing but confuse me."

"Allow me to clarify. I do not know Grimmjow personally, nor had I met him before you started dating, but I do know the one that sent him to investigate you," Kisuke paused to lick his lips. "You do know that's what he was doing, correct?"

Ichigo nodded slowly, then shook his head. "I wasn't completely sure what he was doing, just that he got information about Benihime's and something about dad. And I only found that out the other night."

Kisuke sighed and tapped the end of his cane on the tiled floor. Behind Isshin, Jushiro shot him a sympathetic look and Kisuke took a breath before trying again. "In order to help you understand, I should first tell you that Grimmjow worked for a man named Sosuke Aizen. Is that name familiar to you?"

"Um, actually, it is. I saw Grimmjow get a call from him once, then he left in a big hurry.." Ichigo stopped himself there, not sure he wanted to share that it was the middle of the night, right after the two of them had slept together.

"Yes, I imagine he did. This Sosuke character, believe it or not, is technically a relative of mine. You see, he and I sort of shared a parent."

Kisuke waited, watching the young man until he figured it out.

"Sosuke is your step brother?"

"Something like that," Kisuke chuckled. "His mother and my own were the same. My father had passed away before my mother got together with his father, but we did not know each other until late in our lives." Laughing, Kisuke waved a hand, "It's really rather complicated. The reason I'm telling you this is because when his father, my step father passed away, he left quite a burden on the two of us. In his final years, he was attempting to create a company that would essentially protect any client that hired an agent for a set amount of time. It was not unlike a bodyguard service except with slightly different rules. The whole point of the thing was not to harm anyone while still protecting our clients, but Sosuke was never too keen on that idea. After seeing how well the agents were trained, he started to get other ideas for their use. Behind my back, he started tempting some of my employees to create a side operation. He promised them higher pay and more freedom on jobs, which is to say, they could be violent."

The blond man took a moment to let that sink in and grabbed a glass of water that had been set out for Ichigo, sipping on it before continuing. "At first, I didn't think much of his sneaking around, but after a couple of years, one of my most trusted associates told me he'd been offered a spot on Sosuke's team. I can't quite say I was shocked when I heard, but I was caught off guard, which meant it was particularly easy for Sosuke to, so to say, pull the rug out from underneath me when he knew the jig was up. The company Sosuke runs now is based on the shell of the one his father created, but the idea of it is much different. I took what few trusted employees I had, and left the rest to him because I had no choice, and since then, I've been trying my best to find a way to stop what he's doing. Now he's given it a name, Seven, and turned it's into some sort of sick contest. The agents no longer help those that need protection. Instead, they steal information for their clients by whatever means necessary. Your Grimmjow is one of those agents, and rather than working for a paying client as usual, he was sent to spy on me via you."

Kisuke was silent for a moment while Ichigo stared at his hands. "I don't expect you to be happy about this news, but I thought you should know the truth of it. The reason Sosuke was so interested in what I have been up to is because I do have something to hide. I suspect that he guessed I wouldn't just let him go on without hindrance, and it was right of him to assume so. Over the years, I have used Benihime's as a front for my own operation, which I started with those that I had left over when Sosuke stole the business from me. I had a number of very close friends that stuck with me, and I'm sure you recognize a great many of them as regulars around the bar," Kisuke nodded to Shunsui and Jushiro across the room. "Kensei is also a part of it, as well as your friend Shinji's cousin Hyori. Even Rukia's older brother Byakuya knows some things."

Well that certainly explained Byakuya's stick in the ass attitude about Shiro. "And my father?" Ichigo asked, directing a glance between the two men.

"Ah yes, your father was an old friend of mine long before Sosuke took the business. When your dear mother passed and your family moved back here, he and I became fast friends once again, and it was not long before Isshin realized that more was going on than it seemed. Since then, he has been one hell of an assistant to me in keeping the operations under Benihime's out of the eyes of the public, as well as Sosuke's team. We are very lucky that my forward planning landed two most reliable agents right under Sosuke's nose, and over time, that number grew. I did not think that we had so much support there yet or I would have taken care of it sooner. I suppose Gin's erm- tactics did give us an advantage at least." Kisuke hadn't been aware of just how far the grinning man had gone to get in close with Sosuke, but it was good to know that he had been loyal throughout the years.

Ichigo blinked and stared up at his father for a long moment, disbelief on his face. "And you guys didn't think that maybe I might want to know about this?"

"Heh, well…" Kisuke whipped out at fan to cover his face and dropped his chin to shade his eyes behind the brim of his hat. "Your father told me not to tell you."

"Are you serious?" Ichigo shouted, turning to his father again and using his uninjured arm to point at him. "All of this time? We've been living here for like...ten years!"

"Twelve, actually," Kisuke informed.

"That's even worse!"

Shunsui took the opportunity to step forward and smiled calmly down at Ichigo as he fumed. "I understand that you are upset, but I am sure your father kept this from you in order to ensure your safety. It is the same reason Hyori never mentioned it to your friend Shinji after she figured it out."

"And it is the same reason I never told my son," Zan said, standing in the doorway awkwardly.

Ichigo wondered when the man had arrived and shook his head to focus on the topic. "So all this time, just me Shinji and Tensa had no clue? I guess that means Renji didn't know either?" Ichigo glared at the men he thought he could trust, then abruptly sat up. "Fuck, where are Shinji and Tensa? Are they alright?"

"Relax, Ichigo, your friends are just fine," Kisuke said. "Tensa was found safely at home and is visiting with Shinji, who is quite alright other than having a bit of a concussion."

Ichigo sighed in relief and sagged in the bed. After a minute, he frowned and looked back up at Zan. He wanted to ask about Grimmjow, but he wasn't sure how to feel. If Grimmjow was working for such a twisted person like Sosuke, did he really want anything to do with him? It just didn't make sense. Grimmjow didn't seem like the kind of guy that liked shooting people up for pay, or hurting someone intentionally. Ichigo guessed he just didn't know the blunet as well as he thought and felt a little stupid for thinking he did. But still, why had he gotten such a different impression from him? Was Grimmjow really that great of an actor?

Another man stepped up behind Zan and Ichigo looked up when he heard a throat clear for attention. Ichigo squinted, almost thinking he recognized him.

Dark brown hair framed an angular face, his jaw sprinkled with stubble and almost blue eyes that struck something in him. Something was strangely….familiar.. "Whoa," Ichigo said, pointing again, but this time at Zan, and next to him, Starrk. "You two…"

"Are not related," Starrk finished, smirking over at Zan and stepping further into the room. "Though it does seem that way, doesn't it? I've been working under Sosuke as an emissary since he took the company from Kisuke. There are a couple of others, too. Like Gin, who even went so far as dating Sosuke, as well as Szayel and his brother Ilforte whom both live with me. We have been relaying what information we get back to Kisuke. Rough lists of agents, descriptions of jobs. Nothing too risky, but enough to keep him informed. Essentially, we've been waiting for the right moment to strike."

Ichigo still wasn't sure who this man was, or Gin, but decided he'd ask more about them later. "So you've been…" Ichigo coughed and frowned at the pain it caused from his bruised ribs. "Damn it."

"Take it easy, Ichigo. We'll explain everything to you in due time," Zan stepped up next to the bed and touched his arm.

"No," Ichigo cleared his throat and swallowed. "I think I understand. I just need to know one more thing."

"Anything," Zan said, and the room was still as they waited.

"Was Grimmjow an emissary, too?"

Zan frowned and glanced at Starrk. He couldn't be sure about the blunet, but some of the cursing he'd overheard in the hallway on his way to Ichigo's room indicated there was more to it than he could explain. That, and his injuries.

Starrk smirked and lifted on shoulder into a lazy shrug. "Maybe Grimmjow should explain that to you himself."

Ichigo frowned, but didn't push it. He really couldn't because his heart had started beating again like it had when he saw Grimmjow back by the alley. He had looked terrible, his neck darkly bruised from being choked, blood and cuts all over the place. Ichigo hadn't thought to ask what had messed Grimmjow up so bad, but now he was starting to suspect…

"If you've got any other questions.." Kisuke started, wanting to get it all out with now. Despite how surprisingly easy it was to hide the truth from Ichigo in the past, it felt much better to be sharing with him.

Ichigo looked up, somewhat dazed. "What's with all the deliveries to Benihime's? Were those just for your underground club or whatever?"

Kisuke chuckled at the usage of 'club' and nodded. "We still do take clients for body guarding, and sometimes we receive compensation in the form of gifts. Also, we have been attempting to set up a small training room to better improve our range of defense. Bits and pieces have been coming in for the last few months for that."

"Oh," Ichigo's brow drew. "Why did it take so long for this So…Sosume?"

"Sosuke."

"Yeah, him. Why didn't he start bothering you guys sooner?"

Starrk glanced at the rest, and took the cue to explain. "Back when Sosuke took the company from Kisuke, he knew that it would be simple enough for Kisuke to rat him out, report him to the authorities and have the entire place taken down. So Kisuke made a deal with him, and if you ask me it was kind of a shitty one.." Starrk ignored everyone's looks and grinned, "But Kisuke basically arranged for Sosuke to leave him and his leftover team alone under the agreement that Kisuke wouldn't speak a word of Sosuke's operation to anyone. Kisuke knew he had no hope of taking the business back since he had so few loyal men back then, but the least he could do was leverage something like a truce."

"Oh, so Sosuke just waited a while and then went back on the deal?"

"That's right. When Grimmjow was sent to investigate you, Sosuke probably didn't know that you weren't involved with Kisuke's underground business, but what I do know is that Sosuke never intended to _just_ get information about what Kisuke was up to. I think he meant to hurt you from the beginning because he knew you were close family."

When Ichigo seem satisfied with what he knew, Jushiro and Shunsui took their leave and Kisuke went with Starrk to check on Shinji and Nnoitra. Zan and Isshin spoke near the door for a moment before Isshin left and Zan took the seat Kisuke had pulled up to the hospital bed.

"I imagine you aren't sure what to think about all of this," the brunet said, furrowing his brow.

"No kidding," Ichigo snorted. "Talk about having a bad day. I feel like such an idiot for not figuring it out."

"It's a lot to take in, but don't feel bad. I made the choice to keep Tensa out of it and he never would have guessed. The same goes for Shinji and your sisters. We thought we were protecting you by doing that, but now I guess we've learned better. Because you didn't know what was going on, you weren't able to come to us for help before getting hurt, and I am sorry for that."

Ichigo would have shrugged if he didn't think it would hurt. "Well, I'm still upset, but I can see why you didn't tell us."

The two were silent for a moment and Zan shifted in his seat. "Ichigo, are you still bothered by what Grimmjow did to you?"

Ichigo's eyes widened and he took a deep breath before settling himself. He really shouldn't have been surprised, Zan always could see right through him, just like Tensa could. "Yeah," he admitted glumly.

"Well, if you don't mind me saying… I would not rule out the possibility that he does feel something for you yet. From what I hear, he took on one of Sosuke's bodyguards alone and even I would not want to face that man without the equivalent of an army. The fact that Grimmjow survived is a miracle, and Nnoitra took his share of the beating as well… I do not think that those two and Shiro would have come and put their lives in danger if they did not feel something for you and your friends. I think you should consider that before you turn them away."

Ichigo stiffened, instantly on the offensive. "Do you really believe he cares about me? Maybe he just-"

"Ichigo. No man would throw his life to the wind for a relationship he didn't believe in."

Ichigo thought about that, sighed and then nodded, realizing the man was right. As much as he wanted to be mad about being just another subject for Grimmjow to spy on, he knew now that it had to be more than that. If he really had fought for him, then he must have cared a lot.

"Here, I found this lying around at the bar this morning and Tensa said it belonged to you." Zan held something out, dangling it over Ichigo's lap. Ichigo reached up to retrieve it and felt something flutter in his gut. It was the bracelet he'd thrown across the bar a couple nights ago. Feeling a bit guilty about leaving it there, he turned a shy smile on Zan and thanked him quietly.

Zan merely winked and patted his head.

* * *

><p>"I already told you dumb bastards, I am fucking FINE!" Grimmjow shouted, knocking a male nurse out of his way before stumbling down the barren halls. His bare feet clapped on the ground as he stomped from room to room, peeking in and cursing when he didn't spot the tangerine in any of them. In his blind rage, he walked right into someone and stepped back, blinking at the startled, green-clad man in front of him. "Hey, you're that bartender."<p>

"And you are Grimmjow," Kisuke smiled. "I imagine you are escaping your room in order to visit Ichigo?"

Grimmjow's eyes narrowed slowly. "Yeah. What room is he in?"

"615, just around the corner there," Kisuke pointed and stepped aside as Grimmjow brushed by him, grumbling under his breath.

Just as Grimmjow found the room, he paused at the door and frowned. The doorknob turned, and out walked Zan who stared at him, nodded and walked away. Grimmjow shrugged and stepped inside, biting the inside of his cheek when he saw Ichigo lying in the bed with his head turned toward the window, away from the door.

Grimmjow wanted to say something, get Ichigo's attention or call his name, but he moved wordlessly and stepped up beside the bed. He studied the sling on Ichigo's arm, the bandages all over him and the half melted bag of ice on his ankle. Ichigo breathed softly, eyes not quite shut while he gazed out the window and thought to himself.

Grimmjow reached out, fully intending to say something before he touched the tangerine, but his voice came as barely a whisper while his fingertips brushed over Ichigo's hair.

Surprised, Ichigo jumped and turned in the bed too fast, yelping so that the cut along his cheek split open again. He stared at Grimmjow, doe eyed and breathing harshly from his scare. "What the fuck do you think you're doing sneaking up on me like that? I thought nobody was in here!"

"Are you going to curse at me every time you see me, or what?" Grimmjow frowned when he saw the blood seeping through the bandage on Ichigo's cheek. "Shit, you're bleeding."

"No shit!" Ichigo growled, lifting a hand to press the damp bandage harder against the wound. "Thanks a lot for that."

Grimmjow sighed, grabbing a wash cloth from the desk next to Ichigo's bed and bent over him, grabbing the uninjured side of his face.

"What are you doing? Let me go, I'm fine!"

"Really? Because you're bleeding all over the fucking place," Grimmjow said, still holding Ichigo's jaw. "Sit still."

Ichigo huffed and stopped struggling.

Grimmjow reached up and pulled the tape off that held the gauze to Ichigo's face and set it aside before grabbing the cloth. "Hand me that cup over there," he said, pointing to the glass of water near Ichigo's bed. Ichigo gave it to him, turning his face away so Grimmjow had to lean further over him to see the cut.

"Why are you being so difficult?" Grimmjow gruffed, jerking Ichigo's head back toward him and pressing the dampened cloth to his freely bleeding cheek. "Look at this shit, you busted it right open again. You're probably going to need stitches."

"Maybe if you hadn't crept in here and scared the living crap out of me-"

"It ain't my fault you're so on edge that me touching your hair makes you spaz!"

"Oh, and I suppose it's _my_ fault that I thought you might be some crazy bastard trying to kill me?"

Grimmjow scowled and paused with his hand still holding the cloth to Ichigo's face. He knew Ichigo was right and had plenty of reason to think someone might be after him. Still, that didn't mean it didn't hurt hearing Ichigo blamed it on him. Even if it was kind of… okay, _totally_ his fault.

Grimmjow silently cleaned up the wound after holding pressure to it for it to stop bleeding, then set the cloth aside and found more gauze to cover the cut. When he was done, he sat down next to the bed and dropped his head into his hands. It was good to know Ichigo would be okay, but he wasn't sure what to do next. He didn't exactly have a plan when he went stomping out of his room.

What Grimmjow didn't expect was to feel worse when he was closer to the tangerine. He thought that waiting as the stupid nurses insisted he get cleaned up them tend to his injuries was bad enough. He thought that not knowing if Ichigo was okay was torture. But sitting there in arms reach of the tangerine and knowing he was the reason for all of those cuts and bruises on him, that was much worse. The silence on top of all of that just made him want to scream. So he spoke.

"I didn't.. mean for this to happen."

Ichigo was silent, carefully avoiding any eye contact by staring down at his lap. His cheek still throbbed with pain and his bandages itched. If Zan was right and all of the hurt that was clear on Grimmjow's body was for him, then he really shouldn't have been so hard on him. It just..wasn't easy. "I know, but that doesn't make it hurt any less. I thought you approached me in the bar because you liked me. Do you have any idea how stupid I feel now? You were just following orders, at least at the start, and I went along with it like an idiot."

Grimmjow sighed and scooted the chair closer. "My assignment was to get information, not to seduce you. I wasn't supposed to date you, kiss you, or …Whatever. The point is, all of that was me. When I'm on a job, I don't act like myself, I take on a persona to protect my identity and make the job easier, but with you, I just.. fuck, I don't even know. It's like I just had to be myself, and maybe you _are_ an idiot because you liked it. You liked the real me."

Ichigo opened his mouth and Grimmjow cut him off. "I wasn't lying about being straight before we met. After that first night at the carnival, everything inside me wanted to kiss you, even if you were mad at me, even if it scared the fuck out of me. I just _had_ to, and when I did, it was unreal. I mean, it was fucking _real,_ you have to know that, but it was just so.."

Grimmjow shook his head and ground his teeth together. He was starting to sound like a girl, but it couldn't be helped. He glanced down and saw that Ichigo still wore the bracelet and gained some small amount of confidence. "If you think even for a fucking second that I would have taken you out to that plaza, met your family and all that other shit, you're fucking wrong. I'm telling you, it wasn't some order I was given by Sosuke to let you take me in the ass and neither was any of that other stuff. All of that was just me and you, and even if I got you all caught up in my bullshit and you got hurt, I'm not going to let you sit here and think I never cared, because I did. Shit, I _do_."

Ichigo blinked at him and Grimmjow got out of the chair leaning over his bed and cupping his face, letting his fingertips brush into his orange hair. "Maybe it seemed like it was easy for me to lie to you like that, but it wasn't, and damn it, the hardest thing I ever had to do was watch you walk away the other night because you thought I didn't care. But Ichi, I do care. Probably more than I should, and maybe I'm scaring you but you need to hear it. I –"

Ichigo cut him off this time, not with words but with a kiss. He couldn't take it anymore and if Grimmjow said one more word, he was going to cry like a baby right in front of him. So he kissed the blue haired idiot and sighed at the remembrance of his taste, the way Grimmjow's hand pushed further into his hair and tugged gently, and the way Grimmjow groaned when he parted his lips. Ichigo's cheek hurt where the cut still throbbed each time he moved, but it was so worth it.

It was Grimmjow that pulled back. Ichigo may not have noticed, but he was whining from the pain, and blood was seeping from the cut again. "Will you quit bleeding already?" Grimmjow grumbled, getting up to find another cloth and settling for a small towel. When Grimmjow sat down on the edge of the bed and started cleaning the wound again, Ichigo bit his lip and stared up at him, trying not to wince.

"Just because you did all this, it doesn't mean I forgive you."

"You damn well better," Grimmjow hastily taped more cotton to Ichigo's face, knowing it was a terrible job, but it would last until he was ready to go find a nurse to do it properly. Once he was done, he bent forward and laid another kiss on Ichigo's lips, but pulled back quickly so not to tempt the tangerine to hurt himself again. Grimmjow slipped a hand behind his neck instead and brought him close, tilting his head and breathing in the scent of Ichigo's bright orange hair.

Grimmjow smirked and sniffed again. "How do you still smell fruity after all the shit you've been through?"

Ichigo shrugged. "Maybe it's just natural."

"I thought you said you weren't a fruit."

"Maybe I don't mind being _your_ fruit." Ichigo sent back and rolled his eyes when Grimmjow leered at him. "That was a set up wasn't it? Why do you have to pick on me now? Everything sucks enough as it is!"

"Ain't that what berries are for?" Grimmjow grinned. "Pickin'?"

Ichigo frowned at the words, but bit off his retort when Shinji stepped into the doorway with Nnoitra at his side.

Shinji's voice broke the silence of the room as he scolded the man next to him for something neither Grimmjow nor Ichigo could catch from the tail end. All they knew was that Nnoitra had pissed Shinji off again. Not a shock in the least.

Nnoitra bristled at Shinji's words, and even though Grimmjow and Ichigo were watching, even though Nnoitra had a nurse behind him urging him to go back to his room and lay down, the tall man grabbed Shinji's waist and lifted the blond right off the ground, working his arms around him and capturing him in a long, and obscenely loud kiss. Predictably, Shinji melted after a couple stiff seconds and wrapped his legs around Nnoitra's body, hooking his arms around the man's neck while kissing back.

Grimmjow and Ichigo both stared for a long moment, wondering if either of them even knew where they were. The nurse behind them gave up, throwing her hands in the air and walking back down the hall.

"Ahem," Ichigo said. It looked like they might start losing clothes soon.

Shinji pulled back first and blushed, wiggling to drop down on his feet again. Nnoitra grunted in disapproval but didn't look all that upset anymore. He decided to take out his frustration on the thick bandage wrapped around the gash in his shoulder.

The four of them sat in somewhat of a strange, almost awkward silence. It seemed Shinji had already done his bitching at Nnoitra for lying, and Ichigo was done being mad at Grimmjow for the moment. What was the next step?

"So did you two just go back to fucking each other after you found out about our jobs?" Nnoitra asked Ichigo and Shinji, breaking the ice with the grace of an elephant.

Both Ichigo and Grimmjow stared at Nnoitra dumbfounded, and Shinji immediately started laughing.

"What?" Grimmjow shouted, shooting out of his chair. It was kind of a good question, but still…WHAT?

"Oh. Oh God, I never-" Shinji buried his face in his hands, his face growing red while he laughed. "It hurts. You're so fucking stupid it hurts!"

Nnoitra growled, but the rest just stared at Shinji, still confused. Grimmjow was getting pretty pissed and was about to ask Ichigo what the fuck was going on when Shinji finally raised his hand and signaled for them to wait. The blond turned to Nnoitra, trying not to laugh while he planted a small hand on the big man's chest.

"I guess I should tell you now, I made that all up. Ichigo and I never had sex," Shinji winked at Ichigo, but the other men visibly relaxed. What he said may have been true, but Grimmjow and Nnoitra didn't have to know about the kiss!

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

Only one chapter left! There's still some talking to do for the couples, and business to take care of with Seven, so stick around! Just one more week :)


	14. Charity

**Chapter Fourteen: Charity.**

**OR**

**Stick 'Em Up.**

* * *

><p>Tensa may have hated rainy days, but Ichigo found them perfect for thinking. It always seemed the world was quieter, less busy, and all he had to do was focus on the sound of individual drops landing here and there, lulling him into a comforting sort of trance.<p>

"Do you think they'll get back together?" Shinji asked, reclining on a couch next to Ichigo with his head dropped on his shoulder. Ichigo shook from his thoughts and peered across the room at Shiro and Tensa, sitting at a small dining table. At the brunet's request, both Ichigo and Shinji had come for support as the couple talked out their next steps. At a glance, it seemed Tensa had a calm expression, but his body was angled toward Shiro, his fingers clenched for one reason or another. Ichigo didn't think Tensa was mad, he hardly ever was, but he was sure that Tensa was trying desperately to keep his emotions at bay.

It had been two weeks since Ichigo had been released from the hospital, and from that time, both he and Tensa resolved to take a break from their partners to figure out what they wanted to do. Over the days, it was clear that Tensa was leaning toward going back with the albino, and Ichigo couldn't honestly blame him. Tensa had told him about how Shiro declared his love before exiting dramatically to –as Shiro calls it- 'save the day'. Ichigo still wouldn't accept the expression, even if Shiro had truly saved his ass, and his life. Shiro didn't have to be his favorite person, and he wouldn't let their differences get in the way of Tensa's happiness. "I don't know," Ichigo answered honestly, idly scratching at the scab left over on his cheek from the cut.

Shinji pulled Ichigo's hand from his face with a scolding look, and then returned his attention to the couple conversing across the room. Not even a full week after Ichigo had been kidnapped and saved, Shinji had dropped his angry front and got back together with a surprisingly apologetic Nnoitra. At one point, Ichigo had actually seen the tall man do something akin to begging, though Nnoitra was not aware that Ichigo had been at Shinji's place at the time, just around the corner as they talked at the front door. Shinji had closed the door in Nnoitra's face, grinning from ear to ear because he knew that eventually, he would take the guy back, and he did just that two days afterward. Shinji only meant to make him suffer, but it had been taking a toll on him as well.

Ichigo shook his head, stifling a laugh. If only it were so easy for him to forgive Grimmjow. He hadn't contacted the blunet once since he'd been discharged because he felt he had some big decisions to make, and deciding if they were still in a relationship was only one of them. A part of him did feel bad for shutting the man out after he'd risked his life, but that didn't change the fact that their entire relationship had been built on a lie. It was hard for Ichigo to guess how different things would be now. Would Grimmjow be less guarded without the added pressure of an assignment, or more, because he had no outside incentive to gain Ichigo's trust?

Ichigo sighed loudly. He couldn't make Grimmjow wait forever, but he didn't want to make a decision until he was positive. He'd only just made the decision to take part in Kisuke's operation, and that was sure to make a change in his daily life. There was training he had to do and adjustments to be made. In addition, the pressure to make a choice about Grimmjow doubled when Ichigo found out that the blunet, along with his two friends, would be joining Kisuke also. It seemed that the blond bar owner was commandeering most of Sosuke's employees and giving the rest an ultimatum.

Yammy and Zommari defected immediately with Kenpachi quick behind them, finding no interest in clean business. Kisuke let them go under the promise that they'd no longer contact Sosuke, but he had them being watched just in case. Ichigo had even heard that Kaname and Ulquiorra took Kisuke's offer to switch teams, seeing as Sosuke's had all but dispersed, and the only other option was to disappear. They were allowed to join only with a recommendation from Starrk saying that it was worth giving them a chance. Kisuke agreed so long as he could keep them under very close surveillance.

It did not seem as if Kisuke meant to take everything from Sosuke as the man had once done to him years before. But Seven was mostly stripped from him, and the blond intended to return the business back to its original purpose, using the foundation he'd been slowly building over the years. Ichigo wasn't sure about many of the details quite yet, but he'd be filled in when necessary. Security within the bar had been increased tenfold, and all of the new members were to be heavily screened and tested, which meant Ichigo was still going to be out of the picture until things settled enough to give him the close training and education that he needed to fully understand his new job. At the very least, he was relieved to know that through the process, he would be able to prevent situations like the ones that put him and his friends in danger. Maybe next time, he could be the one saving the day.

Ichigo snorted. It all sounded very adventurous and exciting, but it was going to be a big change from his relaxing life. It almost seemed like too much to stack a relationship on top of it all, but he wasn't foolish enough anymore to think that a close connection like he'd had with Grimmjow would be anything like a burden. On a job or not, Grimmjow had supported and comforted him, and genuinely made his life a hell of a lot more enjoyable. But could Ichigo really trust the man?

It felt as Ichigo he were floating somewhere in the middle of his old life and new one. Shinji and Tensa had also been offered positions by Kisuke, but they'd turned them down. Shinji loved his job, and Tensa preferred the simple bartending occupation and the freedom it gave him to paint. With Grimmjow, Kisuke, Zan and plenty of others now working under the little bar, Ichigo wondered how he'd ever balance his life. He supposed it would be just another thing he had to ask Zan about when he was given the chance.

Ichigo had been spending a lot of time with the family lately, and was present when his father decided to share some of what was going on with Yuzu and Karin. Both Isshin and Ichigo had come to the agreement that it was better that the girls know, so that something like what had happened to Ichigo would not repeat with them in the line of trouble.

"You still in there?" Shinji prodded, sliding down to rest his head in Ichigo's lap.

Ichigo nodded absently, closing his eyes. "He said that he loved him."

"Who?" Shinji turned on his side and studied Tensa's expression across the room. The brunet looked to be a bit happier now, which was good news. "Tensa said that?"

"No, Shiro did to Tensa. Before he came to..to help me." Ichigo twisted his mouth a bit just saying the words. He didn't like to think about that day or how helpless he had been. Tapping his fingers on Shinji's shoulder, he gave half smile and sat up a little straighter. "I think I'll go home now, I have some thinking to do."

* * *

><p>Grimmjow didn't even bother answering the door, he knew his visitor would barge in anyway. It seemed the popular thing to do of late- storm into Grimmjow's house and attempt to reassure him about Ichigo's lack of contact with him. Or tease him, which was the more common of the two.<p>

Looking up when he heard the door click, Grimmjow was surprised to see Starrk in his living room with Gin right behind him. "Oh, it's you," he mumbled and lifted a beer bottle to his lips. He'd admit that he probably looked like shit. A weeks' worth of blue scruff darkened his face and tired circles had formed around his sleepless eyes. The only reason his place wasn't a mess was because he had nothing better to do but clean until Kisuke made the right arrangements to start training him to be a fancy schmancy body guard. Grimmjow's clothes could use a change, but he didn't smell, he didn't think. He sniffed casually to be sure, and then snarled at his guests. "Come to laugh at me for losing everything in a days' time?"

"And for comin' outta the closet," Gin teased, chuckling at his expense.

_Oh right_, Grimmjow rolled his eyes, _that was still new information to Gin_.

"Actually," Starrk said, clearing his throat, "I thought I should apologize for not confiding in you earlier. It's just that you were so invested in your job that I couldn't be sure which side of the fence you'd come down on."

"You really think I'd pick that weasel over you, Coyote?" Grimmjow snapped, bending to smack his empty bottle down on the table in front of him.

Stark smirked and sat on the couch, smoothing a hand through his hair. "Need I remind you that you didn't know he was a weasel until after he manipulated you, and you fell-" Starrk stopped abruptly and seemed to rethink his words.

"No, you can say it," Grimmjow kicked his feet up next to the empty bottle and crossed his arms behind his head. "I fell for Ichigo like a dumbass, and look what it got me! All alone with a lower paying job! Yay?"

"You can't honestly believe that he won't come around?" Starrk chided, patting the blunet on the arm. "You have to understand that he doesn't know who to trust anymore. The majority of his family has been lying to him for half of his life, and then he finds out the man he loves was assigned to spy on him."

"Not to mention that it'll take a lotta convincing from his friends to get him to come crawling back!" Gin put in.

"Okay, I get it! But you know the one thing that bothers me the most?"

"Wha's that?"

Grimmjow ignored Gin, turning to Starrk. "Why did Ulquiorra warn me? Wasn't he closer with Sosuke than any of us?"

"Well,.." Starrk paused. "It's hard to tell what goes on in his mind, but I don't believe that he was ever the blind follower you may have thought him to be."

"Hn, well that's a fucking shock. I always figured he had his nose so far up Sosuke's ass that he couldn't see anything but bullshit."

Starrk chuckled, shaking his head.

"What?"

"No, nothing," the brunet threw his hands in the air in surrender, but it still earned him a glare from Grimmjow.

Gin stepped in front of the couch, plopping right down on the table in front of Grimmjow with his grin ever widening. "I think what Starrk here is laughing about is the fact that even as the second ranked, you were unable to read the fourth."

"Tch," Grimmjow dropped his arms and crossed them over his chest. "I guess not."

* * *

><p>Ichigo turned his face away from the stream and yawned loudly, the sound covered by the run of water from his shower. He'd slept in later than he meant to, but it didn't matter all that much since he didn't have to work for the next couple of days. He grabbed a bottle of shampoo and started scrubbing it into his hair, closing his eyes and stepping back so his head wasn't under the water. It felt good to be able to lift his right arm without cringing anymore. It took some time for the soreness and most of the scrapes and bruises he'd gotten to fade away. Two scars could still be found on either side of his calf, and a shiny sliver of pink skin still stood out on his cheek from the cut. Ichigo had broken it open at least one more time before the nurses came to stitch it properly, and that had hurt like a <em>bitch<em>.

Everything after leaving the hospital was kind of fuzzy for him. He'd gone back to working at Benihime's as soon as Kisuke would let him, glad to have something to do to pass the time. As a result, Ichigo had ended up clocking a lot of hours at the bar, which meant plenty of time with Kisuke. The up side of that was that he was allowed in on a couple of conversations that cleared up some of his questions about what would happen with Seven.

Once Starrk and Gin were revealed as unloyal to Sosuke, it became obvious how few of his subordinates actually were on his side. In the end, Kisuke had decided to allow the man to participate. Apparently, his worth ethic at least did have its merits, and his ideas weren't completely without sense. However, Sosuke would serve as merely an advisor to Kisuke, with all of his movements being closely monitored. Starrk was given the task to look after Sosuke and keep him on his toes, which wasn't all that different from what he was doing before anyway.

The change had happened a lot more smoothly than Ichigo thought it would. It turned out that Gin's information and personal leverage on Sosuke was one hell of a deal breaker. Poor Sosuke, Ichigo almost felt bad for him, up until he heard that he was actually planning to stay with Gin romantically. Ichigo wasn't even sure how that was going to work, but he didn't want to know. Apparently, Gin wasn't quite as heartless as he was made to be?

With more individuals available for Kisuke to send out for jobs, more money was coming in and thus more clients were gained. Over the weeks, there was talk of making the company public and truly bringing Sosuke's father's dreams to light as they were meant to be instead of hiding them away underneath a bar. No concrete plans were made yet, just talk.

After their recent talk, Tensa and Shiro had unsurprisingly started dating again, but with every one of Tensa's friends ready to jump down Shiro's throat if he dared so much as lie to the brunet ever again. Ichigo knew that he personally would love to be there to give the albino a close look at just how unprincess-like he could be when not injured.

Ichigo had spent the last couple days taking advantage of the private beach behind Zan and Kisuke's house, reminding himself of his passion and using the peace there to think. While he was there, Ichigo kept replaying Zan's words over and over, and those of Grimmjow's before he left him alone per request. The look in Grimmjow's eyes when Ichigo told him to give him time was one of the most painful he'd ever seen. But Ichigo knew he had to think this over. Maybe the others felt better about taking their men back because they weren't given jobs to pry into their lives, but Ichigo still felt a little strange. His friend's relationships were mostly based on honest interactions, a beginning and meeting that was without pretense, whereas Ichigo only met Grimmjow because Grimmjow was paid to meet him.

In the end, it all came back to Grimmjow's words in the hospital. The ones that made Ichigo's skin warm from just the memory.

"…_and the hardest thing I have ever had to do was watch you walk away the other night because you thought I didn't care."_

Ichigo smiled as he rinsed the shampoo from his hair, running fingers idly through his bangs while the water poured onto his face. He had come to a final decision the day before, and now he was completely certain about his choice. It still made him nervous though, and anxious. No matter what he did, Grimmjow's words would haunt him. The blunet had frequently shown up in Ichigo's dreams causing him to wake up sweating quite a few times. It wasn't the nightmare sort of sweat, but the heated kind where he sat up with panting breaths and arousal restricting his underwear. Just thinking about it made it difficult to concentrate on anything.

After rinsing himself off and finishing up in the shower, Ichigo pulled back the curtain and reached for a towel, using it to wipe himself off before draping it around his waist. When he turned to pull the shower curtain shut, he felt a cool breeze at his back and was just about to turn when something cold pressed against his spine at the small of his back. A chill raced through his body and pulled a gasp from his lips as he froze, panic spreading throughout his veins and lifting his stomach into his throat. He knew that familiar press of metal. It was a weapon, and not only that, but a gun.

It was for a short couple of seconds that Ichigo stood there before a rough voice sounded in his ear with a dangerous edge that made his toes curl into the fluffy bathroom mat beneath his feet. Ichigo's shoulders did drop half an inch in relief, but he could still feel the bite of steel against the skin of his back, pressing harder as the attacker spoke. A mixed rush of fear and arousal swept through him at just the thought, and he found himself glad he'd agreed ahead of time to try this out. This time, with Grimmjow ready and the gun unloaded.

"G'morning," a low voice greeted.

Shivers chased up and down Ichigo's spine again and his eyes fell shut.

"Sure did take your time in the shower, didn't you?" Grimmjow asked, whispering warm breath out onto the nape of Ichigo's neck.

"W-what do you want?" Ichigo asked, breathing harshly from his nose when soft lips followed the ridge of his right ear. Even though he'd expected this, he couldn't believe it was actually happening. He should have been screaming or scrambling for his life, but instead, he was just short of gasping for breath and the steam in the room was only helping the cause of making him sweat. Water dripped from his hair down his face and ran along his body as if seeking return to the ground. The blunet behind him hummed softly and Ichigo felt the tickle of breath in his hair as a nose buried into his damp locks.

Grimmjow breathed in deep and slow, eyes fluttering at the fresh scent of Ichigo's newly washed hair. He'd been debating with himself about taking this approach, but after remembering the way Ichigo's eyes lit with heat back at his house when he first saw the weapon, Grimmjow knew there was more to be explored there, that he could maybe have some fun with that side of the tangerine. Who could have known Ichigo would shudder so violently? That the redhead would be on the verge of moaning just from the sheer thrill of being held up like this? Grimmjow didn't bother answering Ichigo's question. He knew that Ichigo understood, but there was something in particular he was hoping to get out of this.

"Damn," Grimmjow purred. "Your scent.." He nipped at Ichigo's shower warmed skin and licked a couple flecks of water away.

Ichigo frowned and craned his neck "What? I just showered!" He started to lift an arm, but Grimmjow captured it and brought it back down.

"I know. Quit squirming," Grimmjow breathed in deeply once more and sighed. The fingers of his free hand rubbed up and down Ichigo's arm, touching so lightly that Ichigo shuddered twice, biting back a groan.

Grimmjow could see the blush breaking out on Ichigo's skin and smirked. He dropped the hand to grab the back of Ichigo's towel covered thigh and follow the curve of his butt until he met the skin of his back. The hand circled around to splay over Ichigo's chest and pull the redhead back. Grimmjow lifted the gun higher to press under the edge of Ichigo's shoulder blade while he nuzzled beneath his ear. "I'm going to fuck you, Ichigo."

The rumbling words had Ichigo's legs and spine feeling like jelly, his eyes so heavy he couldn't open them. His head dropped back, lips parting in a silent moan. If Grimmjow had let him go, he might have slipped to the floor and died there happily. "Is th-that so?" he asked.

"Mm. Right after you dance for me," Grimmjow said.

Ichigo blanched and his eyes fluttered open, blinking at the ceiling. "Dance?"

"Is there something else you could offer right now?"

"But I don't- You want me to dance with my injuries?"

"Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Besides, I waited weeks for you to heal," Grimmjow pressed a kiss on Ichigo's shoulder as if in example.

"No, you waited weeks for me to decide I wanted anything to do with a liar," Ichigo couldn't help the bitterness in his words.

"Don't remind me," Those had been the longest weeks in Grimmjow's life. What made it even worse was that Nnoitra got Shinji to take him back much quicker and the two weren't exactly hiding that fact from anyone. Neither were Shiro and Tensa, though they weren't so obvious about it.

"But you let me stay over last night," Grimmjow said. He dropped a hand over Ichigo's hip bone and traced the hollow area with his fingertips. "And I even behaved myself," He slipped two fingers under the towel Ichigo wore and traced the lower area of his belly. "Just dance for me."

Ichigo whined over a chewed lip when he felt Grimmjow press his body firmly against his bare back.

"Show me what that blondie taught you, Ichigo," Grimmjow pressed harder with the gun for emphasis. "Move for me," A hand wrapped around Ichigo's hip once more and Grimmjow swayed side to side, holding Ichigo close.

Ichigo swallowed and closes his eyes. He could feel Grimmjow's hot skin on his own through his clothes, his hardness through his pants. "N-not here!"

"Yes, here."

"Grimmjow.."

"Come on. I've been patient enough as it is."

Ichigo sighed. Grimmjow _had_ been good and waited without pushing until he called. "Okay, I'll dance for you, but- _Ah!_" Ichigo gasped as Grimmjow's hand loosened his towel and it dropped around his feet. "I have one condition," he said shakily.

"Condition?" Grimmjow frowned. He didn't like the sound of that.

* * *

><p>A couple of minutes later, a much dryer Ichigo was moving around his bedroom. Doing what, Grimmjow wasn't sure. The blunet sat in a padded chair Ichigo had insisted he bring in from the dining room, and he was facing the end of the bed. Blue eyes were trained on the undressed tangerine as he set something on the bed sheets and then turned toward him.<p>

Grimmjow felt his dick twitch at the sight; Ichigo in all his naked glory with a little smirk tugging at the corner of those soft, pink lips. Grimmjow hadn't been able to get a good look before, but now he could see that Ichigo must have shaved during that shower he took. Apart from Ichigo's bare face, the area just above Ichigo's half awakened erection was completely smooth. Grimmjow licked his lips with a hungry look in his eyes. He had no idea how much he favored clean shaved men until that moment. Ichigo looked positively edible and it took Grimmjow reminding himself that he wanted _Ichigo_ to come to _him_ to keep himself rooted in the chair.

Deciding to distract himself before he lost his patience, Grimmjow sat forward and tugged his shirt over his head, tossing it on the floor and spreading his legs in a welcoming gesture as he waited for Ichigo to start.

The condition Ichigo had mentioned in the bathroom was that he was given the chance to dry off -at least for the most part, because his hair was still damp- and he wanted to do all of the dancing in his bedroom where he felt more comfortable and less likely to slip and fall on his face. That way, Ichigo had more room and a couple of minutes to mentally prepare himself for what he was about to do.

Ichigo knew that when Grimmjow said he wanted him to dance, he didn't just mean the relatively tamed rocking back and forth they were doing in front of the shower. Grimmjow wanted to see the sort of dancing Shinji had taught him. But Ichigo was having a hard time remembering all of the tips the blond had given him and he hadn't ever actually performed in front of anyone. Ichigo wasn't normally the nervous type in the bedroom and considering Grimmjow was technically the least experienced in the room, he shouldn't have been worried. This felt different though. Just having Grimmjow's eyes on him made Ichigo feel incredibly vulnerable and it had been weeks since he'd seen him at all. It certainly didn't help that Grimmjow looked so smug, sitting in the chair like a cat that got the cream.

"Are you going to do it this year, or what?" Grimmjow asked, quirking a brow at Ichigo's fidgeting form. Ichigo looked up with a nod, moving over and then standing behind the chair Grimmjow sat in. It took a moment for Grimmjow to realize that Ichigo was doing something in the closet behind him, and then he felt two hands drop down on his shoulders.

Ichigo bent over to lightly brush his lips on the blunet's cheek, smiling when Grimmjow inhaled sharply. For all Grimmjow's outward confidence, the blunet was still new to having a guy touch him. Ichigo made sure to memorize all of the surprised and hesitant moments Grimmjow had because he knew that eventually, the blunet would get over it.

Ichigo squeezed his shoulders lightly, lips still seeking Grimmjow's, and when Grimmjow turned his head to accept the kiss, Ichigo let his hands fall down Grimmjow's arms, slowly pulling them back behind the chair. Before Grimmjow could question it, Ichigo stifled his voice with his tongue until he snapped Grimmjow's wrists together tight. Grimmjow cursed when he felt something smooth and cool sliding over his skin.

"What the hell are you doing?" Grimmjow growled, pulling from the kiss and tossing a look over his shoulder. He couldn't see, but he could feel something being wound around his arms up from his wrists. Soon, whatever Ichigo was using was fastened behind Grimmjow's elbows, holding them tightly together behind him. Grimmjow shifted and squirmed to free himself, but he'd reacted too late. "Uh, Ichigo?"

Ichigo smirked, watching Grimmjow for a moment to be sure he wouldn't get free. He'd worried that a belt wouldn't work, but he'd somehow managed to get it right on the first try. Dancing wasn't the only thing Shinji had taught him, after all. Just to be safe, he grabbed another belt and secured the one around Grimmjow's arms to one of the back legs of the chair he sat in. It wouldn't do to have Grimmjow simply stand up and start stumbling around the room, angry with his arms behind his back, though it did make Ichigo smirk just to think about it.

With the belt effectively pinning Grimmjow to the chair without use of his arms, it served perfectly as a way to keep Grimmjow at least somewhat under control while Ichigo went about the rest of his quickly formed plan. Ichigo wanted to do this right, and now that he had agreed to a dance, he wasn't about to back down or let Grimmjow ruin it by getting impatient and making him stop. Then again, dancing wasn't all he had planned.

Ichigo turned back to the closet, and from one of the built in dressers, he grabbed a pair of his tightest boxer briefs, one of the Calvin Klein sort with a thick waist band and hardly any room for his already stirring erection. He slipped them on and adjusted himself, chewing his lip when he craned his neck to see how they hugged his ass and rode high around his thighs like teensy, white shorts. When Ichigo was sure he was set, he stepped around in front of Grimmjow's chair and grinned at the indignant set of his face. "Something wrong, Grimmjow?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe the fact that I'm stuck to this chair? And what's with the underwear? I thought you were going to dance for me."

"Did you say I had to be naked?" Ichigo asked. "I don't think you did," Ichigo backed up slowly until he pressed against the closest corner of his bed and raised his hands to hook around the tall bedpost. He saw Grimmjow's lips twitch in amusement and he nodded slowly. "Yeah, interested now, aren't you?"

Grimmjow snorted and tried to shift in the chair again, only to find it was uncomfortable to slouch with his arms pulled so tightly behind his back. "Was this really necessary?" he asked, frowning when the belt buckle pinched at the skin behind his arm. "Do I scare you that much?"

"You did hold a gun to me, in case you forgot. But…maybe I just want to have my way with you," Ichigo bent his knees and slowly slid down with his back against the bedpost, legs spreading and giving Grimmjow something better to focus on besides bitching. When Ichigo was down in a squatting position with legs wide apart, he dropped one hand down and cupped himself, rocking his hips into it and groaning while tipping his head back. Ichigo thought he heard a distinct 'fuck' and gave himself another slow, lingering stroke before straightening up and shaking the hair from his eyes.

Ichigo turned to face the bedpost, rolling his body against it and closing his eyes when his cock slid against the smooth wood. He didn't expect it to feel so good, and after hearing Grimmjow's heavy breathing from where he sat a few feet away, Ichigo felt all the more confident about going through with this.

Slowing a little, Ichigo peeked over to see instead of just hear how Grimmjow was doing and nearly dropped his jaw at what he found. The blunet had his head tilted back to rest on the top edge of the seat back, his lips were parted and both piercing blue eyes were gleaming from under dark, lowered lashes. Grimmjow's pants were tented with an impressive bulge and his legs were stretched out almost completely straight. Ichigo could see the veins and sleek muscles straining in Grimmjow's arms as he struggled against the bindings, clearly impatient.

Just as Ichigo was about to turn and provide a better view of his rear, Grimmjow's rumbling, hungry voice stopped him on the spot.

"You enjoy torturing me, don't you?" Grimmjow drew his feet closer to the chair, bending his knees and struggling to sit up straighter. "Or do you just love showing off how slutty you are in those little panties of yours?"

Ichigo let his eyes roll back and ground harder against the post to distract himself. He could feel his cock pulse in reaction to the words and frowned when he turned to face Grimmjow with a damp spot showing around the head of his cock. "They aren't panties, jackass."

"Hn," Grimmjow grunted, and despite how much he meant for it to be sarcastic, his voice came out as almost breathless. "Want me to get you some then? I bet you'd like that, wouldn't you? Prancing around in girly underwear," Grimmjow groaned at the images that summoned in his mind. If he was honest, he'd be just fine seeing Ichigo wearing some silk panties, watching them stretch around his hard cock and_- what the fuck was wrong with him?_

Ichigo hadn't expected his words to turn him on so much. "Is that what you want, Grimmjow? he licked his lips. "Would seeing me wear them make you feel better about what's underneath?" Ichigo turned again, sitting himself on the edge of the bed and parting his thighs. "Or maybe you've gotten used to the fact that I've got a cock. You certainly liked it back in your room," Ichigo's tone dropped an octave while he spoke. One hand was braced on the mattress behind him and the other came up to shift his trapped erection so that the head poked out under the waist band, wet and swollen. "I bet you want it now, don't you?"

Grimmjow let out a long, drawn out groan and Ichigo could actually see his dick jerk in his pants. "Yeah, you do." Ichigo spread himself further and pressed the heel of his palm against his shaft, fingers dipping down to cup his balls and roll them gently.

"Fuck, Ichigo," Grimmjow twisted himself left and right and growled when the belt didn't loosen any from his attempts. "Would you just let me go? You're off the hook for the dance!"

Ichigo smirked and slid off the bed, stepping over and watching Grimmjow's face flush hopefully. "Let you go?" He bent forward and rubbed a hand down Grimmjow's bare chest, following it to his pants and tugging on the waistband. "So you can have me however you want?"

Grimmjow nodded and lifted his hips. "You're practically dripping. I know you want this," Grimmjow rolled his eyes back when Ichigo traced two fingers over the fly on his pants. He swallowed and took a deep breath. "Ichigo, take this thing off of my arms."

Even if he didn't say it, Ichigo could _hear_ the 'please' in Grimmjow's voice. It made his gut tighten and he unzipped Grimmjow's pants, gingerly reaching in and taking out his heavy length. "I hardly even danced and you're ready to go," Ichigo grinned, giving it a soft tug, surprised at easily his hand moved. Pre-come was freely trailing down from the tip and Ichigo smeared it along his shaft before letting go and stepping away again. Grimmjow let out a sound between a whine and a growl in protest and Ichigo smirked, turning his back to the blunet as he faced the foot of the bed. Ichigo lifted a small container he'd placed there earlier and twisted the lid off before coating his fingers in gel.

Grimmjow watched, wondering what Ichigo was up to. When the redhead turned his head, he gave a quick little wink that Grimmjow almost missed. Then, Ichigo used his clean hand to reach down and tug the back of his briefs down, showing off his firm, round ass. Before Grimmjow could even wrap his mind around that sweet, curved temptation, Ichigo reached back with one hand and bent himself over the edge of the bed, legs straight, and butt up in the air. Ichigo parted his cheeks and delved between, pressing two slicked fingers against his opening. Grimmjow's eyes widened comically and he bit down on his lip near to the point of breaking skin. Ichigo's head turned to the side and stared him with glazed eyes as his two fingers slipped into his tight hole.

"God _damn_, Ichigo," Grimmjow couldn't contain it. He hardly recognized his own voice as he spat the first words his brain could produce.

Ichigo's thumb and pinky spread his cheeks further while his pointer and middle finger sank deep inside him then spread apart. Ichigo let slip a tiny whine as he stretched himself and his eyes fell shut as he rocked back against his own hand. Ichigo felt a bit strange, putting on the small show for Grimmjow when he'd been asked to dance instead, but he shook it off, knowing the effort would be worth the reward. Pulling his fingers back out, Ichigo forced himself to reopen his eyes and stared at Grimmjow's face, his half sagging body and pulsing erection. Grimmjow sat there cursing and muttering hot little comments that made Ichigo all the more hard and ready to take him right then and there. He knew he had to draw it out a little longer for what he wanted, but was starting to feel even more impatient than Grimmjow looked.

Pressing his ring finger against the other two wet ones, Ichigo spread his legs a little further and shoved the three of them in. Ichigo twisted his hand and arched his back, rocking into it and moaning loudly with abandon. Grimmjow groaned behind him and Ichigo knew the blunet was nearly at his limit. He heard Grimmjow struggling helplessly against the restraints and tried to hide his grin in the bed sheets. "Don't you want me, Grimmjow?" Ichigo panted, licking his lips and turning his face to stare back at the struggling blunet. "Why don't you come and get it?"

Grimmjow growled lowly and Ichigo caught the flash of anger in his eyes. That was what he was looking for, hoping for all this time. Just a little bit more.. Ichigo curled his fingers and rubbed his prostate, mewling loudly and arching his body into the touch. "Nnh, Grimmjow!" he moaned, caressing that spot again. Grimmjow was practically shouting behind him now and Ichigo waited another moment, withdrawing his fingers and standing up to slowly walk back over to Grimmjow with slightly shaky legs.

Ichigo grabbed the thick waistband of his underwear and then gave it a little shove, just enough to loosen them from his thighs and drop them to his feet. His erection jutted away from his belly as it was freed, leaving a damp smear glistening on the skin. Ichigo licked at his lips and pushed Grimmjow's knees together to sit down on his thighs. Grimmjow moaned at the contact and gave the belt another pointless tug.

Grimmjow glanced at his weapon across the room, lying on Ichigo's bedside dresser, just as harmless as when he'd stepped into Ichigo's bathroom with the clip and chamber empty. Grimmjow didn't think he'd ever wanted a person so badly before. Ichigo had him at his will and just that thought unsettled Grimmjow's stomach. Being trapped and without a plan was not a situation he was ever comfortable with, especially when he was damned horny and not even a foot away from what he wanted. "Can we get past this teasing bullshit and just fucking…fuck?"

Ichigo tilted his head curiously, directing his eyes down on Grimmjow's lap. "Do you always get this wet?" he asked, ignoring Grimmjow's question. Ichigo traced a finger around the smooth head of Grimmjow's member and bit his lip, pulling his hand away with a thin strand of pre-come attached until it broke. He smirked and touched it again, watching Grimmjow twist and struggle beneath his teasing caress. "You know, I thought that maybe the lotion you kept by your bed was for jerking off, but it doesn't look like you even need it."

Grimmjow chuckled lowly and tilted his head down, eyes shrouded by sweat dampened bangs. "I don't normally have a naked cock tease hanging around to motivate me."

Ichigo smirked and nodded. "Did you like my dance, Grimmjow? Do you want more?"

Grimmjow groaned and lifted his hips, urging Ichigo to do more than just draw light circles around the head of his erection. "What I want is for you to untie me."

"Is that so? Oh, I guess I could.." Ichigo leaned forward, lifting both hands to rub Grimmjow's involuntarily flexed biceps, sliding along taut skin over firm muscle. "Hmm…" he hummed softly, lingering near enough to Grimmjow's neck to have him dropping his head to the side in offering. Ichigo blew on the skin, still faintly yellow with fading bruises, and he watched Grimmjow shudder as a result of his indecision.

"Nah," Ichigo said at last, drawing his hands back and planting them on Grimmjow's cock once more. He jerked it firmly, not giving the blunet a chance to complain. Grimmjow moaned instead and Ichigo scooted forward in his lap, letting his own dick sit inches away, swelling with each sweet moan he drew from Grimmjow. "You sound so good," Ichigo murmured, leaving wet kisses over Grimmjow's bruised neck. "Almost as good as when I was inside you."

Ichigo slowed his hand, gripping Grimmjow loosely and steadying his feet on the ground. "Do you remember how that felt, Grimmjow?"

Grimmjow's head fell back again and he let out a strangled, frustrated groan. "Damn it, Ichigo. Let me fucking go! I need to come and you're …_fuck_."

Ichigo felt Grimmjow pulse in his hand and looked down, almost afraid he'd finished too soon. He hadn't, though, and Ichigo smirked. "_Fuck_, what? What do you want?"

Grimmjow grit his teeth and growled, jerking his hips upward and still twisting his arms and hands to try and escape the stupid belt. "I want to fuck you, that's what! I want to fuck that stupid smirk right off your face."

Ichigo merely smiled and began to stroke Grimmjow faster, making the blunet writhe beneath him and let out half muffled, sexy whines. "Well, when you put it like that.." Ichigo teased, trailing off and pressing a thumbnail down on the slit. Then Ichigo suddenly stopped with this hand and gripped the base of Grimmjow's cock, rising up on his feet and breathing in deeply. He waited for the attention of Grimmjow's lidded eyes before dropping himself down, taking Grimmjow in to the hilt and throwing his head back with a deep throated moan.

Both of them gasped together, breathing harshly as Ichigo adjusted to the quick intrusion and Grimmjow enjoyed the sudden heat and tightness surrounding him.

Meanwhile, Grimmjow couldn't control his voice anymore. Nothing but incomprehensible, half formed words made it past his lips. It was lucky Ichigo still hadn't let go of his cock because he thought he might have come right then if he hadn't been held so tightly as Ichigo impaled himself like that.

"Did you like that?" Ichigo purred, loosening his grip on Grimmjow and pulling his hand away. He still didn't move, knowing they both needed the pause. Ichigo bent for a soft kiss, licking and sucking Grimmjow's lips while he settled down. He considered how Grimmjow must have felt, unable to do anything with his hands, and smiled against his mouth. Grimmjow couldn't be blamed for needing a second, but Ichigo was aching to move. "You okay?"

"Holy shit," was all Grimmjow managed say, his eyes finally peeking open and arms giving another jerk behind him.

Ichigo chuckled and bent forward, shivering as Grimmjow shifted inside him. He leaned against the blunet's chest, burying his face in his neck. "Ready?"

Grimmjow took a deep breath and twitched his hips upward. Ichigo took that as a yes and wrapped his arms around Grimmjow's neck while using his feet planted on the ground to lift and then drop on the thick length beneath him.

Grimmjow's back arced away from the chair and one of his arms snapped forward in reflex to grab Ichigo. It was still restrained, but he felt something give and groaned loudly, lifting his hips while Ichigo dropped on him again. As much as Grimmjow loved watching Ichigo use him like his own personal toy, he wanted more, wanted to flip him over and- shit, his hand was free. What the fuck was he waiting for? Grimmjow bit his lip, took one last look at Ichigo's flushed face while shaking his arms the rest of the way out of the belt, then he grabbed Ichigo's waist and unceremoniously pulled him off and shoved him to the floor.

Ichigo fell with a thump and a cut-off yelp, looking up at Grimmjow like he'd just grown another head.

"When did you-?"

Grimmjow was on the redhead before he could finish the question, pinning his arms on either side of his head and ravaging his neck, his cock still ramrod straight and dripping down on Ichigo's belly. "I was going to go easy on you, you know," Grimmjow said, biting down on Ichigo's shoulder and moving down to suck one of his nipples between his teeth, clamping down on it and watching Ichigo squirm because of the rough treatment "But now…" Grimmjow sat back and pulled Ichigo's lower half into his lap, rubbing hands over his inner thighs.

_Fuck, he's beautiful, _Grimmjow thought, licking his lips. He dipped a hand down to guide himself back in and watched Ichigo's face while he teased him with the tip. "Ready?" Grimmjow mocked, pressing it in and then pulling back out.

Ichigo nodded eagerly, trying to get his feet on the ground to move closer, but Grimmjow held him still.

"You sure?" Grimmjow let the head slip back in and groaned at the sight of his own cock tucked inside Ichigo's rear.

Ichigo whined and reached up, trying to grab at Grimmjow or sit down on him further. Frustrated, tangerine mumbled a 'yes' and then fell back, tossing his head side to side with an arm coming up over his face. "Grimmjow, now!"

Grimmjow didn't need much more convincing. He hunched forward and rolled his hips, burying himself the rest of the way while leaning down to grab the carpet on either side of Ichigo's body. Grimmjow quickly adopted a relentless pace, at first just wanting the friction of fucking, Ichigo's tight heat closing around his cock, then he craved more. Grimmjow needed Ichigo wailing, screaming out his name, so he angled his hips and thrust upward, watching the redheads face for any change. On this third go, Ichigo's mouth went wide with a deep groan.

Ichigo felt Grimmjow's gaze slide away from his face as the blunet bent forward, lips brushing against his cheek and curling with a smirk as he got the hang of things. Every time the blunet pulled back, Ichigo thought he might slip out. Then Grimmjow would deliver another deep stroke to his prostate that would have him clawing at Grimmjow's back and with his head lolling back.

Ichigo didn't know how Grimmjow knew this position would get him deeper and harder, but he wasn't going to complain. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been sought after so fervently. It was what he wanted to begin with, when he decided to tease Grimmjow into breaking out of the belt. Ichigo knew it was only a matter of time before the blunet somehow squirmed or worked his way out of it, and by that time, Grimmjow would be over any anxiety or doubts and ready to go with no holds barred.

Grimmjow kept a fast pace until his legs ached, drawing each gasping moan and grunt out of Ichigo like he needed them to breathe and watching his face twist in pleasure and dampen with sweat. With each rough drive of his hips, Ichigo was starting to scoot across the floor, so Grimmjow got his knees under him again and wrapped an arm under Ichigo's back, pulling him into each thrust.

Ichigo bucked into him harder after the shift in position, shivering at the tickle of stubble against his cheek as Grimmjow panted near his ear. Wrapping his legs tight around Grimmjow's waist, Ichigo locked his ankles behind him and buried his face in his neck, muffling his moans and cries of pleasure. Grimmjow shifted his angle slightly to hit more accurately and continuously, and Ichigo felt his breath catch as the other man's warm stomach brushed rapidly against his straining cock.

Ichigo licked his lips and shoved his hands into Grimmjow's hair, yanking him down and crushing their lips together. "Ahh- don't- don't stop!" he whined, closing his eyes tight and moaning as Grimmjow kissed all over his face and down his neck. "Need," he mumbled, panting for breath, "Grimmjow, _more_!"

Grimmjow frowned, but didn't stop, wondering if Ichigo was just begging him to keep going, or if he needed something else. Closing his eyes, he imagined what Ichigo had done when he topped. He remembered needing to be touched, wanting those few final tugs to take him over. Smirking to himself, Grimmjow sucked on Ichigo's neck, leaving blooming red spots in his wake and shifted to rest on his elbow while reaching down with his other hand. His fingers wandered over Ichigo's side, dragging down to his stomach and nudging closer before he took Ichigo's length in his hand. "Say please," he ordered, jerking his hips forward roughly and gripping Ichigo harder, preventing him from coming as well as teasing him.

Ichigo, red-faced and painfully hard, curled a hand behind Grimmjow's neck and looked into his eyes with his own darkened to near black. "You…asshole!" Grimmjow chuckled and Ichigo could see he wasn't making a good case. "Please…please make me come," he moaned, closing his eyes in embarrassment.

Grimmjow kissed him in response, setting his hand in motion and grunting with each of the final pushes he made, forcing sharp gasps from Ichigo beneath him. He felt the tight grip of Ichigo's warm thighs fall away and groaned as the redhead pushed his heels into the ground instead and bucked into each roll of Grimmjow's hips. Finally, Ichigo gasped, sucking in one long breath of air before letting go with a drawn out moan. Grimmjow bit down on his lip, spending himself with his own deep groan as Ichigo's come spilled over his hand and he tightened down around him. Ichigo's eyes fluttered shut and his body sagged, melting into the floor as Grimmjow hovered rigid over him for a few moments, still rocking into him shallowly as he slowed to a stop. Sighing in relief, he pulled out and moved to the side.

Ichigo turned to face him and smiled, reaching out to run a hand over Grimmjow's slick chest. Grimmjow hummed, eyes still closed as he lay on his back and breathed. Ichigo scooted himself closer and nipped at his neck, rubbing his hand up and down his torso soothingly.

"Why do you have so many dressers?" Grimmjow asked out of the blue, peeking open his eyes when Ichigo was silent for a moment. "What? It's a valid question."

Ichigo shook his head and rolled over onto Grimmjow's lap. "As if I'd let you change the subject before I could ask how you feel."

"I feel fine. More than fine," Grimmjow mumbled, grunting when Ichigo shifted onto his lap. "I don't remember you being so heavy when I sat in that chair."

"That's because you were desperate to have me sit on your cock," Ichigo responded, rocking forward and sifting his fingers into Grimmjow's hair, tugging it back so the blunet had to look up into his eyes. "Do you have any idea how hard it was not to let you free and take whatever you'd give me?"

"Considering how you begged near the end there, I'm guessing it was pretty hard," Grimmjow's eyes blinked slowly for a moment and refocused on Ichigo's face. "You're… leaking on my legs."

Ichigo wiggled around and grimaced. "Yeah, I feel that. Guess I need another shower."

"Mmm," Grimmjow chuckled and slid his hands over Ichigo's thighs. "Give me a minute to relax first and I might make it worth your while."

"Oh?" Ichigo glanced down and smirked at Grimmjow's softened length. "And how were you planning to do that?"

Grimmjow's arms wrapped around him and Ichigo felt himself being pulled against the blunet's chest, those strong arms hugging him close. "You'll see."

* * *

><p>After another long, very interesting shower with Grimmjow, Ichigo changed and took out some clothes the blunet could borrow. Apparently, Grimmjow had been so shocked by Ichigo's random offer to let him stay over out of the blue that he'd completely forgotten to bring anything other than what he had on him already. Grimmjow was still in the bathroom fussing over his hair in the mirror as Ichigo stepped in, offering a folded pair of jeans, some boxers and a shirt he could wear.<p>

Grimmjow smirked and turned to the tangerine. He took the clothes from Ichigo and set them next to the sink, then pulled Ichigo into a hug. Relaxing into the strange comfort of Ichigo's embrace, Grimmjow drew in a deep breath and let it out just as slow. "Why is it that I always seem to be borrowing your clothes?"

Ichigo grinned and pulled back, lifting a hand to flatten over Grimmjow's chest. "Because you look so good in them?"

"Is that so?"

"Yup. I distinctly remember thinking to myself that you wore my shirt much better than I did when we met back at the bar," Ichigo lifted his arms to wrap around Grimmjow's neck, then rose up on his feet a little to peck at Grimmjow's lips. They were still warm as ever and Ichigo lingered for another moment, glad to have Grimmjow around again.

"What ever happened to my shirt anyway? I think I left it there, but I can't remember."

"Oh," Ichigo blushed and thought about the shirt Shinji had found on his bed. Ichigo had eventually figured out its hiding spot but left it there in hopes of keeping his mind clear of distracting thoughts while trying to sleep. Of course those thoughts weren't so easily evaded. "I have it here. It's clean if you'd rather wear that than one of my shirts."

"No, that's alright. You can keep it."

"What makes you think I want one of your shirts at my place?" Ichigo teased, lowering his arms and tugging at the towel Grimmjow wore.

"Maybe the fact that you've been sleeping with it every night?"

Ichigo flushed and stepped back. "What did you say?"

"Your little blond friend is terrible at keeping secrets," Grimmjow smirked.

"I haven't been sleeping with it every night! He hid it and now…I don't."

"Anymore," Grimmjow corrected, smiling so that his canines showed.

"So what's your point? Is there something wrong with –" Ichigo paused and swallowed. "Wait, why would Shinji tell you that? You guys talk when I'm not around?"

Grimmjow snorted and turned, removing his towel and slipping on the boxers that Ichigo had given him. "Not exactly. But Nnoitra is one of my friends, you know, and those two have been together nonstop since their.. - What was it? Two days apart? I swear they have the attention spans of flies. You even mention sex and they're eye fucking each other until the second they can be alone," Grimmjow zipped up his pants and tugged the fabric down on his legs, glad that they were long enough to brush the tops of his feet. "Well, that's not entirely true. They tried to go at it in my living room once. I wasn't having any of that."

"Wow, I knew Shinji was shameless, but that's just.. and you were right there?" Ichigo leaned against the door frame, a little sorry that he'd so willingly giving Grimmjow clothes to cover up.

"I had gone outside to smoke, which is your fault by the way, so don't give me that 'I thought you didn't smoke' look. I only started because of you."

Ichigo frowned and handed Grimmjow the shirt when he reached out for it. "Are you going to quit?"

"Yeah, it's a nasty habit and makes everything smell. That's why I took it outside, didn't want it around the cat or stinking up my furniture."

Ichigo nodded and started to walk out of the bathroom before paling suddenly and turning around, staring at Grimmjow as he pulled the shirt over his head. "Uhm, what else did Shinji tell you?"

Grimmjow checked his hair one last time and shrugged. "He babbles so much, I don't remember half of it. He only told me the shirt thing because he could tell I was starting to lose hope about you taking me back. Speaking of which, is that what this is?"

Ichigo frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. "Of course it is. Why would I just use you for sex?" Ichigo sighed and realized how bad that sounded. "I mean, yeah, you are fucking amazing in bed and all but I just don't do that, okay?"

Grimmjow cocked a brow then pushed past Ichigo to leave the bathroom.

Ichigo growled and trailed after him, grabbing his arm and turning him around. Grimmjow stared at him, eyes narrowing as he tried to figure out what was going on the tangerines mind.

"Are you even ready for this, Grimmjow?" Ichigo asked. "To be with a guy, in a_ relationship_."

Grimmjow raised a brow. "Would I be here if I wasn't? I know you're still worried about all that straight shit but when you ignored me for a couple weeks I started to realize that…that all I cared about was how you made me feel… and how I felt about you," Grimmjow turned completely around and chuckled lightly. He never would have figured he'd be saying shit like that. "It's not like my friends care if I'm into dudes, and I know yours don't, so I've got no excuse. Even if they didn't like it, fuck them because I –" Grimmjow swallowed and looked away. "I just don't let others tell me what to do, that's all. I want you so I'm going to fight for you."

Ichigo looked stunned. Grimmjow had this expression on his face that made his chest swell with anxiety and excitement. Almost like he was on the edge of a drop on a roller coaster and about to fall. It was the second time the blunet made that face, the first being back in the hospital, but both times Grimmjow stopped and changed course.

"Grimmjow," Ichigo reached out and cupped his lovers cheeks. Part of him felt that this sort of thing was too sappy to be trying on a man that was new to all of this, but Ichigo shook the doubts away. Grimmjow needed this push, and he knew it wouldn't take much. "How do you know you're so ready, that I'm worth fighting for?"

"Because I just do," Grimmjow said stubbornly, pouting his lips out a little and hardening his gaze.

Ichigo stepped closer, drawing Grimmjow in so that he couldn't focus on anything but his face. "That's not it and we both know it. You said yourself that you risked everything to be with me, to save my life. Why would you do that for me, Grimmjow?"

Ichigo's eyes pinned Grimmjow to the spot and his heart raced. Grimmjow felt like he couldn't breathe. This damn kid wasn't letting up and his eyes were on fire, tearing into him in a way that made Grimmjow even more uneasy about his recent thoughts. Ichigo must have known. _So why couldn't he just say it?_

When a too-long moment passed, Ichigo dropped his hands away and Grimmjow could see his spirit sink. When the tangerine sighed and started to turn, Grimmjow snatched up his arm and yanked him close, relishing the wide eyed expression he had and sucking him into a kiss. Ichigo made a soft sound at the back of his throat and Grimmjow smiled, remembering a similar sound Ichigo had made before their first kiss. He pulled back and rubbed slow circles on Ichigo's hips, eyes not wavering and lips parting hesitantly. "The reason why I fought, why I gave it all up and waited for you while to figure things out… it's because you're worth the trouble, you idiot, and because I _love_ you. Whether you're a guy or not, that's how I feel."

Ichigo blinked at Grimmjow then folded himself against the blunet's chest. "Do you really mean that?" he asked with his voice slightly muted from being pressed into Grimmjow's shirt. He had to wonder how Grimmjow still smelled like himself after showering in his home and putting on his clothes.

Grimmjow rolled his eyes though Ichigo couldn't see it and patted the tangerines back. "I said it, didn't I?" Ichigo didn't respond other than by squeezing him closer and Grimmjow wondered if he'd be getting any reciprocation. Then Ichigo pulled back and Grimmjow sucked in a breath, knowing the big smile on his face was good news. So Ichigo did feel the same way, that was- "OW!" Grimmjow frowned at the spot on his arm where he'd just been smacked and rubbed it sorely. "What the fuck was that for?"

"Did you have to yank my bad arm so hard when you pulled me in?" Ichigo said, dropping a hand on his hip and eyeballing Grimmjow. "Don't you remember that was dislocated not so long ago? It still hurts!"

"It was kind of a pressing issue and I_ thought_ I was being romantic," Grimmjow spat, lip curling as he pulled up the sleeve of his shirt to find a big red mark.

Ichigo started to laugh and Grimmjow scowled.

"I tell you something like _that_ and I get punched then laughed at. Thanks a lot," Grimmjow rolled his eyes when Ichigo covered his mouth but his attempts to stop giggling failed. The blunet turned, fully intending to actually get away this time, but he didn't get far before Ichigo stopped him.

"No. Grimmjow, wait!" Ichigo caught his hand and pulled him back, being gentle not to repeat what Grimmjow had done to him. "I didn't mean to laugh, it's just the look on your face when I hit you.." Ichigo shook his head, trying really hard not to smile like such an idiot. "I'm glad you told me that, know why?"

Grimmjow shook his hand from Ichigo's grip and crossed his arms. "This oughta be good."

"It is.." Ichigo licked his lips and hooked his fingers into Grimmjow's borrowed jeans, bringing him closer. Grimmjow kept his arms folded on his chest and Ichigo framed his face with his hands, kissing him soft and slow. Ichigo withdrew only an inch after a moment and whispered over Grimmjow's lips that he loved him too. Grimmjow responded by dropping the pout act and lifting him up, bringing Ichigo into his arms and backing him against the wall, using the leverage to pin the tangerine there.

Grimmjow could feel Ichigo smile against his mouth and did the same. "Do be a fabor," Grimmjow said, not wanting to pull from the kiss and resulting with slurred words as he nipped Ichigo's lips.

"What's that?" Ichigo asked, pulling back so his head pressed against the wall.

"Just promise me you won't suddenly become a psychotic bitch down the road and ruin my life before moving out of the country."

Ichigo's brows drew and he looked to be considering that seriously. "You know, I think I can manage that, but we'll have to see. I really had my heart set on ruining your life."

Grimmjow scowled and reinforced his hold on Ichigo, pressing him harder against the wall as a not so subtle reminder that he had the upper hand. "Don't play with me, Ichigo."

Ichigo's eyes lowered and darkened. "But I _love_ playing with you."

Grimmjow groaned at the sound of his name flowing in Ichigo's voice. "You better be ready to back those words up with actions."

Tilting his head back, Ichigo offered his neck as bait and Grimmjow took it, dropping harsh bites and eager licks over his skin while rocking his hips between Ichigo's legs. Just because they'd fooled around twice in the last hour or so didn't mean Grimmjow was about to give Ichigo a break. Especially after that last little statement.

The trill of Ichigo's phone sounded from back in the bedroom and Ichigo sighed, eyes darting in its general direction. "Grimmjow.."

"Leave it," Grimmjow growled, rolling his hips and sucking on Ichigo's pulse point.

"What if it's important?" Ichigo managed to say, trailing off into a moan when Grimmjow leaned on one hand against the wall and used the other to slide under his shirt and pinch at an already hardened nipple.

Ichigo's legs tightened around Grimmjow and the blunet smirked, changing his mind mid thought and stepping back. He let the tangerine slide to his feet. "You're right, it might be important," Grimmjow said, turning away and heading out of the hallway, leaving Ichigo looking debauched and confused.

Ichigo frowned at Grimmjow's retreating form, then the progressively louder ring tone brought him back to his sense and he jogged quickly to the room to answer it.

Grimmjow leaned against the kitchen counter, a can of Coke in hand and a smirk on his face. He'd been half hard when he left Ichigo high and dry and he knew any minute now, the tangerine would come parading back in to attack him for more. Or Ichigo would just play the pity card and put on that pouty face that made Grimmjow's gut stir. As he stood, ankles crossed in front of him and one elbow leaned on the counter behind him, Grimmjow surveyed the kitchenette, noticing the round metal covers on the individual stove burners and small hooks for oven mitts on the wall behind it. Either Ichigo was a fucking girl at decorating or his sister had helped out. Grimmjow hoped it was the latter.

"Grimmjow!" Ichigo rounded the corner and Grimmjow smirked, glad that it seemed Ichigo wouldn't be taking the shy approach. He parted his legs in preparation then frowned when Ichigo stood there, staring at him dumbly with his cheeks flushed and eyes wide.

"Rukia's in the hospital."

Grimmjow lifted a brow. He'd remembered hearing about the small woman on the trip they went on for Shinji's birthday. The redheaded guy with the spiky pony tail kept moaning about how she couldn't come and he missed her or some shit. At least, he thought that was the one Ichigo meant. "Is she okay?"

"No- I mean yeah. Uhm."

"Well which one is it?" Ichigo's face pinched in concern and Grimmjow rolled his eyes, walking over and putting his arms on Ichigo's shoulders. "Is everything alright?"

"She's having the baby," Ichigo said, eyes widening further, if possible, and Grimmjow mirrored the expression, suddenly remembering mention of her particularly round state of affairs.

"I take it that we're going to the hospital then?" Grimmjow asked, stepping passed the still stunned tangerine and searching for his car keys. "Did you want me to come with you?"

"Yeah," Ichigo mumbled more than spoke. He turned slowly and retrieved his keys from Grimmjow's hand as they were held out to him. "Thanks."

"It isn't your baby, you know. You don't have to look so serious."

Ichigo just stood there like he wasn't sure which way was the door.

"Hey," Grimmjow pulled Ichigo into a hug and kissed his hair gently. "I'm sure Renji will still be able to hang with the guys and all, you'll work something out," He was only guessing on Ichigo's worry, but the tangerine did slump a little, relaxing against him.

"It's not that," Ichigo withdrew a little and bit his lip. "I guess I just realized they're going to have a kid, you know?"

"Just figured that out after eight or so months of that girl blimping up?" Grimmjow asked, smirking at the annoyed flash of Ichigo's eyes.

"No, I knew that, but it just made me feel so…so _insignificant_ all of a sudden."

"Because you aren't out there impregnating women?" Grimmjow snorted. "You don't need a baby to matter. Hell, I didn't start dating you because…" Grimmjow bit the inside of his cheek and looked away. Not a good example to bring up. "Point is, I like you and so do your friends. You're living well, have a job you enjoy, your family loves you," Grimmjow paused and touched Ichigo's cheek. "All of that is enough to matter in my book. You don't need a diaper filling midget to give you that."

Ichigo's cheeks filled with color and he dipped his head into Grimmjow's chest. "We should really go," he said and Grimmjow nodded, pulling away and heading toward the door to find his shoes. Ichigo looked after him, still standing in the kitchen, somehow holding Grimmjow's Coke and face still close to the color of his hair. Then Ichigo snapped to, realizing he had to be at the hospital for his friends and hurried to find his own shoes.

* * *

><p>A couple of weeks later, Ichigo answered the front door of his family home, finding the wide smile of one of his best friends on the other side. Shinji's golden hair beamed in the sunlight, hardly outshining the exuberant expression on his face. Behind him, Nnoitra stood, giant as ever, with a look of lazy amusement as he addressed Ichigo with a jut of his chin.<p>

"Ichi!" Shinji squealed, pulling the tangerine into a hug and squeezing the breath out of him before pulling back. Ichigo was about to check if he had squeeze marks on his arms when Nnoitra brushed passed him into the house and Shinji bounded off behind him, both of them moving down the foyer toward the great room where Ichigo's family and several others were congregated.

Renji and Rukia were there with their newborn baby girl, Mai, as well as Kisuke and Zan. The little girl had been born perfectly healthy and seemed to have a knack for smiling at things that weren't meant to be funny. Kensei was there and also Hiyori, who Ichigo suspected would promptly pounce on Shinji the second he stepped into the room, blocking his attempts at fawning over the baby.

Next at the door were Tensa and Shiro, the latter looking rather excited, eyes scanning the large house and wandering inside with a look of awe. When Shiro spotted a model car on a display case off to the side then turned around, shooting Ichigo a look, the tangerine chuckled.

"Just ask my father to give you the tour, he's in the room with everyone else," Ichigo said. "Grimmjow's probably already down his throat about seeing the garage again, so I'm sure he'll go along with you"

Shiro grinned and took off, leaving Ichigo alone with Tensa. The tangerine shut the door carefully and turned, luring Tensa into a soft hug. Tensa pulled back with a genuinely happy smile, the warmth showing all over his face and in his relaxed posture as he gestured for them to continue into the room. Ichigo smiled back and led the way, glad to just have the brunet along. By the sound of his most recent conversations with Tensa, it seemed his relationship with Shiro hadn't completely suffered from their slight stall and had only grown in intensity over the weeks. Tensa ensured Ichigo that the test on their relationship was well taken and proved to be a worthwhile bump in the road on their way to rebuilding and maintaining a trusting bond.

Ichigo had similar experiences with Grimmjow, though they did have a few first fights and some disagreements when living arrangements were discussed, ending with them deciding just to live apart until they were sure they were ready. Ichigo practically lived with Grimmjow anyway, but the blunet was being a bit of a snob about allowing Ichigo to warm the place up a bit. Ichigo suspected it was more to do with Grimmjow's previous relationship with his ex, and after gaining some insight from Shiro and Nnoitra about how that failed marriage had ended with Grimmjow's ex-wife, Ichigo had backed off and promised to allow Grimmjow whatever time he needed before pressing him to decide on living arrangements any time soon.

When Ichigo made it to the big room with people all crowded in, lining couches and littering the floor and against the walls, he greeted everyone, and took some time to coo at the sweet baby everyone had been lurking around. Yuzu stepped in a moment later, announcing that dinner was ready and she could use some hands to place the food on the table.

When everyone was settled down and ready to eat, Grimmjow scooted his chair closer than it was set to make sure he bumped elbows with Ichigo as they filled their dishes. Shinji stood up suddenly and lifted his glass. Ichigo half rolled his eyes, knowing that what was coming was either a speech or some ridiculous toast that would no doubt embarrass somebody at the table, and it was probably going to be him.

"I know you all just want to eat, so I'll try to make this short," Shinji said with a faint coloring to his cheeks. "I figured now was the best time to announce it since pretty much everyone I know is right here at this table," Shinji reached out for Nnoitra's arm and tugged the man up from his seat, smiling over at him and receiving a nervous smirk in response. Ichigo gaped at what he saw and stared at Shinji, a desbelieving slack to his jaw . Shinji raised the glass and took a deep breath.

"It may seem soon to some of you, and I honestly don't expect any other announcements to come along like this for quite some time, unless Karin over there isn't telling me something about that boyfriend of hers, that is," Shinji winked and Karin blushed for the first time many at the table had ever seen. "What I am meaning to say is that Nnoitra and I are engaged to be married, and we are planning our ceremony for the end of the year!"

Cheers broke out at the table, many people getting out of their chairs, food forgotten and congratulating Shinji and Nnoitra properly with hugs and kind words. Ichigo was there first, practically hopping across the table and taking Shinji's hands in his own, staring the blond down with all of the seriousness he could muster. "Are you _sure_ about this, Shinji? 'Cause _you know who_ won't be getting anymore _you know what_ if this is for real," Ichigo winked and Shinji giggled despite himself.

"Oh, Ichi. You and I both know that that job belongs to Grimmjow and Nnoitra now, and it damn well better continue to be from now on," Shinji winked at Grimmjow whom had come up behind Ichigo. The blunet blinked at him, completely confused. Apparently nobody else had caught on, but it didn't matter that much to them. Shinji let his laughter die away and pulled Ichigo in to kiss him on the forehead. "I promise. I have never been more sure about anything in my life."

"What about that tattoo you got on your-" Ichigo started, never really intending to finish.

Shinji cut him off, predictably, and Ichigo burst into laughter, returning a kiss on his cheek and flitting away, allowing the rest to filter in and address Shinji as they wished. Ichigo stopped by Nnoitra on the way, merely giving him a pat on the shoulder and whispering under his breath that he'd hack off something important if he so much as made Shinji cry. Nnoitra, not one to be scared of much of anything, did actually shiver when he heard the words and saw the glint in Ichigo's eyes. The fear melted away, though, when he glanced at Shiro and remembered the tale he'd heard about Ichigo fainting after having a gun pointed at him.

Nnoitra snickered and turned to find Rukia in front of him with baby Mai in her hands and bright blue eyes filled with excitement for the two. She rocked the infant in her arms, adjusting a small, ratty bunny that lay on the child's stomach. Nnoitra sneered at it, spotted some weird stitching around its neck and limbs. The little girl clutched the stuffed thing in her tiny hands and Rukia looked up at Nnoitra, face stern and lips tight.

"Just a little word of wisdom from somebody that has dealt with a man from this little group for the last couple of years," Rukia warned and rose on her toes a little to whisper in Nnoitra's ear. Hearing the words, Nnoitra's one good eye bugged out, mouth falling open when Rukia rocked back on the heels of her feet and left without any further comment.

Nnoitra shot a look over at Shinji and gulped, for the second time feeling like his manhood had been threatened. What was it about this little group that thought it was cool to do that so carelessly?

Grimmjow, already having known about the engagement, as Nnoitra had been the one pacing around his apartment before popping the question, merely slapped the man on the back roughly and gave him a big grin. Nnoitra smiled nervously, not so sure about being a part of this family of protective individuals he was being dragged into.

Ichigo returned to the table and soon after people started filtering back to their seats, conversation still loud between them as nothing short of a roar. Ichigo dug into his food immediately, quite hungry because it had turned out to be a late dinner. He was adjusting a napkin in his lap when Grimmjow slid a hand over his, looping their fingers together and eating with his less practiced hand just so that they could maintain that connection. Ichigo smiled over at him and Grimmjow returned to his food.

Ichigo realized something as he sat there at the table, surrounded by friends and family, Grimmjow not noticing the way Ichigo gazed at him with a softness in his eyes. Somehow through all of this, he'd ended up with just what he needed. A few months ago, he would have said that getting into a serious relationship would mean the end of his casual life and that someday he would have to compromise, choosing between happiness in his career choices and life style, or love and a true bond with someone. Ichigo wouldn't have guessed he would find such an accepting and understanding man in the random way that he did, or that meeting a stranger in a bar and watching him walk away, still a stranger, would lead him down the road to a relationship he could feel in his bones would last for a very long time, if not the rest of his life.

Ichigo had forged quick friendships, shared his own friends, introduced his family and come within a second of losing his life all in such a short time, and now, as he stared at a man he had only known for a couple of months, he could truly say to himself that he loved him with all of his heart. The cheesy side of him would comment that he was living the dream, one only a fool would chase, but Ichigo was alright with that.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**  
>Going to try and keep this short because I tend to get chatty in these things.<br>I made a lot of last minute edits, so I may need to come back and fix some things up later tonight. Sorry for that.

I can't say when my next long fic will be out, but I've got plenty of short stories in the making to fill the time until then. If things work out as I planned, the next thing I post should be a short Ichigo/Renji, but who knows, there's so many options for me at this point! More than likely, the next long story will be Grimmjow and Ichigo also. I'll keep my profile updated with that information as I make my decision.

Thank you all, a final time, for the support. You guys have been absolutely wonderful.


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